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Wilson  <Sf  Toomer 
Fertilizer  Co. 


Key  to  Success 


Wouldst  have  abundant  crops  reward  thy  toil 
And  fill  thy  barns,  O  tiller  of  the  soil  ? 
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Key  to  Success 


General  Principles 

oj 

Soil  Management 

by 
N.  M.   G.  Prange 


Wilson  &  Toomer  Fertilizer  Co. 

Publishers 


To  Our  Friends 


Copyright,  1913,  by 

Wilson  &  Toomer  Fertilizer  Co. 

All  rights  reserved 


Preface 


Again  we  make  our  bow  to  the  public  who  has  ever  re- 
ceived us  so  kindly.  "Key  to  Success'7  is  a  fitting  name 
for  this  little  book,  as  it  is  an  easily  read  statement  of 
the  general  principles  of  soil  management  and  conser- 
vation. 

The  information  is  based  on  a  personal  experience  in 
Florida  during  the  past  twenty-five  years  supplemented 
by  the  field  experience  of  many  others,  and  a  study  of 
all  the  leading  authorities  in  this  line  of  work. 

Thanking  our  many  friends  for  their  hearty  co-opera- 
tion in  our  educational  work, 

Very  respectfully, 

.  WILSON  &  TOOMER  FERTILIZER  Co. 
March,  1913. 


260271 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface v 

Chapter  I 

Soil    1 

Chapter  II 

Soil  Preparation 4 

Chapter  III 

Management  of  Different  Soils   9 

Chapter  IV 

Lime    , 13 

Chapter  V 

Starting  the  Grove 20 

Chapter  VI 

What  a  Fertilizer  Tag  Means   31 

Chapter  VII 

Home  Mixing    37 

Chapter  Vlll 

Effect  of  the  Different  Elements 41 

Chapter  IX 

Fertilizer   Materials    47 

Chapter  X 

Plant   Constituents    56 

Chapter  XI 

Fertility G3 

Chapter  XII 

Insects  in  General   72 

Chapter  XIII 

Diseases  in  General   77 

Chapter  XIV 

Spraying     82 

VII 


Chapter  I. 
Soil 

About  the  first  point  taken  up  by  the  grower  who  is 
starting  in  to  "do  things  rightv  is  soil  analysis.  It  seems 
such  a  simple  solution  of  all  questions  on  fertilization 
and  such  an  insurance  of  success.  "Analyze  the  soil; 
compare  that  with  the  general  analysis  of  the  crop  to 
be  grown;  buy  the  lacking  ingredients.  Why  doesn't 
everyone  who  cares  at  all  for  success  go  to  this  slight 
trouble  and  expense?"  Alas!  the  disappointment  and 
(often)  incredulity  when  told  the  plan  is  not  feasible; 
that  the  real  starting  point  is  the  texture  of  the  soil; 
that  the  right  content  of  air,  water,  and  humus  for  the 
greatest  activity  of  our  friendly  bacteria  must  be  se- 
cured before  the  best  of  fertilizers  can  bring  about  maxi- 
mum productiveness. 

Productiveness — That  is  what  we  Floridians  like  to 
talk  about.  Newcomers  may  laugh  at  our  "sand"  but 
when  they  hear  how  much  that  sand  produces  they  look  at 
it  with  respect.  With  our  soil  and  climate,  opportunities 
are  unlimited.  If  Florida  is  a  "lazy  man's  country"  it 
is  simply  because  the  lazy  man  can  exist  here  more  easily 
than  in  a  colder  clime,  not  at  all  because  there  is  not 
a  chance  for  his  energetic  brother  to  reap  full  reward 
for  his  activities. 


2  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Varieties 

We  have  many  varieties  of  soil, — the  almost  pure  sand 
over  coarser  sand  subsoil  upon  which  are  planted  the 
largest  and  finest  pineapple  fields  of  the  world;  the 
sandy  loams  of  various  degrees  of  richness  over  subsoils 
of  yellow  sand,  clay  or  marl,  upon  which  are  our  mag- 
nificent citrus  groves,  famous  melon,  strawberry,  and 
potato  fields,  Sea  Island  cotton,  corn,  and  hay  farms, 
and  the  coming  pecan  orchards.  Then,  to  the  south  are 
the  Everglade  lands  which  are  in  a  class  to  themselves, 
and  their  development  is  largely  in  the  future.  Since  I 
confine  my  communications  to  actual  facts,  not  hopes, 
—with  the  statement  that  marvelous  crops  have  been 
made  where  there  is  a  marl  subsoil  and  drainage  has 
been  secured,  I  will  drop  the  Everglades  and  go  back 
to  our  various  sandy  loams.  These  are  classed  by  their 
virgin  growth  which  is  influenced  largely  by  water  con- 
tent. 

The  larger  portion  are  pine  lands, — "high  pine,"  "heavy 
pine/'  and  "flat  woods."  The  high  pine  is  rather  in- 
clined to  be  thirsty,  but  is  the  site  of  many  good  groves, 
especially  of  grapefruit  which  is  a  rather  better  forager 
than  the  orange  tree.  The  "spruce-pine  ridges"  are 
similar  to  the  high  pine  land.  The  heavy  pine  is  lower, 
richer  soil,  generally  has  undergrowth  of  saw  palmetto 
and  is  intersected  by  strips  of  cabbage  palmetto  which 
indicate  more  moisture  and  by  savannas  growling  only 
grass  as  proof  that  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  year 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  3 

the  ground  is  saturated,  thus  preventing  the  growth  of 
any  shrubs  or  trees.  Heavy  pine  is  good  for  both  groves 
and  gardens.  When  these  savannas  are  of  large  expanse 
they  are  called  "prairies."  Between  the  prairies  and  the 
pine  land  there  is  a  state  which  induces  the  growth  of 
hard  wood  and  jungle-like  vegetation.  These  tracts  upon 
which  are  some  of  the  finest  citrus  groves  are  called 
"hammocks."  Hammock  and  prairie  lands  are  exceed- 
ingly rich  and  produce  the  choicest  of  fruit  and  vege- 
tables. 

My  readers  must  not  think  this  is  a  standard  classi- 
fication. Every  locality  makes  different  distinctions,  but 
I  trust  I  have  made  it  clear  that  the  lands  run  from  high, 
dry  sand  to  low,  wet  soils  rich  in  humus,  and  that  the 
subsoil  may  be  open  or  compact.  Whichever  land  the 
prospective  grower  chooses  he  will  find  his  choice  brings 
with  it  both  advantages  and  disadvantages. 


4  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Chapter  II 

Soil  Preparation 

The  clearing  away  of  native  growth  should  be  done 
thoroughly;  stumps  and  large  roots  occupy  valuable 
space,  interfere  with  cultivation,  and  furnish  a  breeding 
place  for  wood  lice,  etc. 

Drainage — Good  drainage  is  most  essential.  None  of 
our  commercial  products  do  well  on  water-soaked  soil. 
Open  ditches  are  the  most  common  means  of  drainage, 
but  tiling  is  used  quite  extensively,  especially  in  the  sec- 
tions devoted  to  intensive  gardening.  No  rule  can  be 
laid  down  for  this  work  as  it  must  be  governed  entirely 
by  local  conditions.  The  point  is  to  lower  the  water 
table  so  it  is  at  least  three  feet  below  the  surface.  Wide, 
shallow  ditches  are  much  better  than  deep,  narrow  ones, 
as  they  are  equally  serviceable  in  wet  seasons,  and  in 
dry  seasons  do  not  make  the  land  on  their  border  so 
droughty. 

Plowing — Even  the  most  enthusiastic  advocates  of 
deep  plowing  have  found  better  results  are  obtained  on 
heavier  soil  to  make  the  first  plowing  shallow, — about 
three  inches  deep. 

Lime — There  are  exceptions  to  all  rules,  but  generally 
new  land  is  sour,  particularly  after  the  broken  roots 
commence  to  decay.  Crushed  limestone  is  the  most  nat- 
ural and  economical  base  we  have  at  hand.  The  amount 
to  be  used  depends  upon  the  land;  heavy  land  generally 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  5 

needs  two  or  three  tons  to  the  acre,  while  one  ton  is 
often  sufficient  for  light,  open  soil.  If  the  clearing  is 
too  small  to  alloAV  bu}ring  car  lots  of  crushed  limestone 
hydrated  lime  can  be  used,  but  as  this  form  is  in  much 
finer  particles  it  acts  more  quickly  and  one  ton  per  acre 
is  the  average  application.  The  lime  should  be  spread 
broadcast  after  plowing  and  harrowed  in.  This  work  is 
generally  completed  in  the  spring. 

Cover  Crops — Cowpeas,  velvet  beans,  or  beggar  weed 
should  be  planted.  In  the  fall,  the  cover  crop  should 
be  mowed  and  dried.  (Never  turn  under  green  vegeta- 
tion.) Unless  a  disk  plow  is  to  be  used  for  next  plowing, 
thorough  work  should  now  be  done  with  a  disk  harrow, 
cutting  the  vines  and  mixing  them  with  the  soil. 

Second  Plowing — A  disk  plow  is  best,  but  so  far, 
few  are  used  in  the  State.  Very  satisfactory  results  can 
be  obtained  with  a  good  turn  plow  run  as  deep  as  the 
surface  soil  allows  and  followed  in  furrow  with  subsoil 
plow,  each  implement  drawn  by  double  team.  Most  of 
our  soils  crumble,  but  on  heavy  soils  which  hold  their 
form  the  furrow  should  be  thrown  at  a  45-degree  angle, 

Harrowing — The  harrow  should  immediately  follow 
the  plow  to  level  the  land  that  there  be  less  exposed  sur- 
face and  to  create  a  dust  mulch  to  break  capillary  action. 
This  conserves  the  moisture  content.  It  is  in  the  fall 
season  now  and  our  land  is  ready  either  for  vegetables 
or  trees,  but  in  most  cases  the  one  comes  out  ahead  who 
"makes  haste  slowly"  and  does  not  plant  his  trees  until 
the  second  year. 


6  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Results  Desired 

Since  our  lands  are  so  varied  and  seasons  are  unde- 
pendable,  it  is  well  for  the  grower  to  know  just  what 
are  the  results  to  be  obtained  by  working  the  soil.  The 
old  idea  of  cultivating  to  kill  weeds  has  long  been  cast 
aside.  Land  is  cultivated  to  secure  proper  texture  and 
the  right  content  of  air,  water,  and  humus.  These  fac- 
tors are  dependent  one  upon  the  other,  for  no  one  of 
them  would  likely  be  correct  without  the  others  being 
about  right  also. 

Texture — To  be  in  perfect  tilth,  land  must  be  a 
crumbly  mass  of  soil  grains,  easily  penetrated  by  feed- 
ing roots,  admitting  enough  air  but  not  too  much,  and 
holding  a  large  amount  of  capillary  water.  The  deeper 
in  the  soil  this  condition  is  maintained,  the  greater  re- 
sources at  the  command  of  the  plant.  Vegetable  growers 
and  farmers  should  plow  deep  every  fall,  but  the  grove- 
maker  must  depend  upon  first  preparation  and  constant 
attention  to  surface  conditions.  However,  his  trees  are 
continuously  on  the  ground  and  with  their  extensive 
root  systems  keep  the  underground  right  if  given  a 
chance  for  a  good  start.  Working  wet  ground,  especially 
in  summer  time,  causes  it  to  pack  and  sour.  Often,  the 
harm  done  by  one  ill-advised  cultivation  will  show  its 
effects  for  two  or  three  years.  Similar  effects  occur  when 
particles  are  too  fine, — so  very  fine  there  is  practically 
no  room  for  air  or  water  in  the  soil.  Such  condition 
can  be  overcome  by  working  when  in  right  stage  of  mois- 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  7 

ture,  especially  if  lime  is  added  to  induce  "flocculation," 
— the  gathering  together  of  fine  particles  to  make  a  soil 
grain.  This  trouble  is  found  particularly  among  clay 
soils.  Our  new  land  is  inclined  to  be  too  coarse  and  raw. 
No  treatment  can  bring  it  into  right  texture  immedi- 
ately; it  takes  time  and  cultivation  to  accomplish  this. 

Air — Air  in  the  soil  is  necessary  for  the  respiration  of 
the  roots  and  the  development  of  our  friendly  bacteria. 
It  is  also  important  in  promoting  chemical  changes. 
Many  of  these  are  forms  of  oxidation  and  through  them 
much  plant  food  becomes  available.  This  is  especially 
noticeable  in  the  formation  of  nitrates  as  taken  up  under 
"Bacteria."  It  will  also  be  seen  that  the  air  supply 
determines  through  its  influence  on  bacteria,  whether 
organic  matter  becomes  plant  food  or  plant  poison.  Too 
much  air  allows  a  drying-out  of  the  soil,  thereby  de- 
creasing the  water  supply  of  the  plant. 

Water — Capillary  water  is  that  held  in  films  around 
the  soil  grains  and  is  the  ideal  form  of  soil  moisture. 
The  smaller  the  soil  grains  the  more  surface  they  pre- 
sent, therefore,  to  a  certain  extent,  the  more  water  held 
by  capillarity;  and  the  more  water  in  contact  with  the 
soil,  the  greater  amount  of  plant  food  brought  into  avail- 
ability. Free  water,  or  ground  water,  is  that  which 
would  run  off  if  given  a  chance.  It  fills  the  spaces  be- 
tween the  soil  grains,  thereby  shutting  out  the  air  and 
bringing  on  the  many  troubles  caused  by  such  conditions. 
Such  water  should  not  be  allowed  within  three  feet  of 
the  surface. 


8  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Humus — Humus  increases  the  water  storage  by  absorp- 
tion and  also  by  its  particles  being  finer  than  the  sand 
particles,  which  are  the  bulk  of  our  soils.  By  holding 
the  water  it  saves  from  leaching  any  plant  food  the 
water  has  in  solution  and  also  keeps  the  land  from  ex- 
cessive heat  in  summer.  It  regulates  the  air  supply,  as 
it  fills  in  coarse  soils  and  opens  up  fine  ones;  it  is 
a  source  of  plant  food,  particularly  of  our  most  expen- 
sive element,  nitrogen;  and  is  both  a  food  and  a  dwell- 
ing place  for  bacteria.  The  content  of  humus  decides  a 
soil's  fertility.  That  there  be  no  misunderstanding,  I 
will  explain:  Vegetable  matter,  though  popularly  called 
humus,  is  not  humus  until  properly  decomposed;  the 
peat-like  substances  found  in  some  swamps,  though  of 
vegetable  origin,  are  not  humus  and  neither  are  they 
fertile.  Humus  is  the  fine  dark  dust  of  the  soil;  it  is 
easily  used  by  plants  and  much  of  it  is  drained  away. 
The  addition  of  humus  matter  to  soil  is  necessary  not 
alone  for  building  up  the  soils  but  to  preserve  their  nat- 
ural fertility.  The  great  crops  we  produce  impoverish 
the  land  just  as  surely  as  drawing  checks  lessens  a  bank 
account.  Eight  management  of  the  soil  makes  the  fer- 
tility greater  each  year. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS 


Chapter  III 

Management  of  Different  Soils 

The  high,  sand  land  is  invaluable  for  pineapples  since 
they  demand  an  extremely  open  soil.  However,  the  pine- 
apple is  a  vigorous  feeder  and  large  quantities  of  organic 
fertilizers  must  be  used  and  the  soil  kept  free  from 
crusted  surface  or  weeds  by  frequent  working  with  the 
scuffle  hoe. 

Light,  Dry  Land — The  citrus  grower,  on  high  pine  or 
spruce-pine  lands,  has  no  worry  about  drainage  but  must 
make  a  continuous  struggle  to  conserve  moisture  and 
to  build  up  the  humus  content.  The  subsoil  is  likely  to 
be  open,  tending  to  leaching;  probably  the  lime  has 
already  been  leached  away.  He  should  apply  crushed 
limestone  or  hydrated  lime  for  plant  food  and  general 
soil  conditions,  but  especially  for  a  partial  cementing 
of  the  soil  particles  at  the  "plow  sole,"  thus  making  the 
drainage  less  rapid.  Such  land  should  be  plowed  at 
equal  depth  every  year  that  the  pressure  of  the  plow 
make  this  plow  sole.  This  plowing  should  be  done  in 
early  spring  and  followed  by  shallow  harrowing  to  keep 
a  dust  mulch  over  the  surface.  About  the  middle  of  May 
the  summer  application  of  fertilizer  should  be  put  on 
and  cowpeas  or  velvet  beans  planted  in  drills  so  the  cul- 
tivation can  be  continued  until  the  rains  come  or  until 


10  WILSON  &  TOOMER  FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

the  vines  cover  the  ground.  In  the  fall,  the  vines  should 
be  mowed  and  wrhen  dry  worked  into  the  soil  with  a 
disk  harrow.  The  fertilizers  used  for  young  trees  and 
spring  application  on  bearing  trees  should  have  an  or- 
ganic content.  This  should  be  of  tankage  or  Peruvian 
guano — not  cotton  seed  meal.  By  this  method  of  culti- 
vation the  land  will  become  heavier  and  darker  and  less 
thirsty  every  year,  for  the  humus  content  will  be  in- 
creased. In  starting  young  trees  special  attention  should 
be  paid  to  establishing  a  deep  root  system.  With  all 
these  precautions,  undoubtedly  the  difference  in  growth 
and  fruit  secured  by  irrigation  would  make  an  irriga- 
tion plant  a  most  profitable  investment. 

Heavy,  Wet  Land — A  direct  opposite  condition  to  the 
above  is  found  in  the  groves  wrhere  the  water  table  comes 
within  three  feet  of  the  surface.  A  natural  growth  of 
grass  soon  occurs  on  such  land  and  this  is  allowed  pos- 
session of  the  middles.  Circles  should  be  hoed  around 
the  trees  and  covered  with  heavy  mulching.  Strictly 
chemical  fertilizers  are  adapted  to  this  soil.  They  can 
be  spread  broadcast  and  left  for  the  rains  to  carry  down ; 
there  will  be  no  waste.  All  the  land  will  have  to  be 
worked  for  about  three  years  after  clearing  to  reduce 
the  virgin  growth  and  to  secure  right  physical  condi- 
tions, but  great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  puddle  the 
soil  by  disturbing  it  when  too  wet,  especially  in  hot 
weather.  Such  land  invariably  needs  extensive  drainage, 
and  even  then  wrould  be  too  wet  during  the  summer  rains 
were  it  not  for  the  vast  amount  of  wrater  thrown  off  by 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  11 

the  transpiration  of  the  grass.  Although  the  land  is 
so  wet  during  rainy  seasons  the  trees  soon  feel  the  effects 
of  a  drouth,  since  the  roots  are  necessarily  so  near  the 
surface.  To  help  toward  conserving  the  moisture,  when 
rains  cease  the  grass  should  be  mowed  and  left  broad- 
cast. By  this,  too,  the  natural  humus  content  is  kept 
up  and  all  fertilizer  used  by  the  grass,  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  which  (nitrates)  would  otherwise  have 
leached  awa}T,  is  given  back  to  the  soil.  Generally,  irri- 
gation is  not  used  on  these  low  lands,  but  some  growers 
contend  that  the  benefits  gained  in  a  dry  season  more 
than  offset  the  expense. 

I  suppose  someone  is  asking  if  the  grass  helps  to  evapo- 
rate the  water  from  wet  soils  why  does  not  the  cover 
crop  make  the  dry  soil  drier?  The  cover  crop  has  not 
nearly  so  great  a  leaf  surface  as  a  heavy  growth  of  grass ; 
and,  too,  the  grains  of  sand  are  such  extremely  good  con- 
ductors of  heat  the  ground  would  soon  be  hot  enough 
to  dry  out  the  little  soil  moisture  and  to  fairly  burn  the 
tender  roots  were  it  not  .for  the  shade  afforded.  Many 
things  in  agriculture  seem  on  the  surface  to  be  contra- 
dictory, but  a  little  study  makes  the  matter  plain.  Heavy 
applications  of  lime  are  almost  sure  to  be  needed  on 
low,  wet  soils.  Any  convenient  form  can  be  used. 

Other  Soils — Between  these  two  extremes  of  grove  cul- 
ture there  are  all  gradations.  Each  grower  must  decide 
by  actual  results  just  what  degree  of  cultivation  applies 
best  to  his  circumstances;  texture  of  soil,  humus,  and 
moisture  always  receiving  due  consideration. 


12  WILSON  &  TOOMBR   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Vegetables — Vegetables  do  not  prosper  on  the  lightest 
soils  but  the  yields  on  our  heavy  lands  are  almost  in- 
credible. Not  alone  one  crop,  but  two  or  three  can  be 
produced  over  winter  with  a  hay  crop  in  summer  from 
natural  growth.  Rich,  sandy  loams  with  heavy  subsoil, 
are  adapted  to  strawberries,  melons,  and  Irish  potatoes, 
while  the  pecan  grove  and  diversified  farming  prosper 
best  on  the  heaviest  of  loams  with  clay  subsoil. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  13 


Chapter  IV 

Lime 

We  are  all  interested  in  lime  as  a  base.  Most  of  our 
soils  are  acid  and  we  wonder  what  form  of  lime  to  use, 
how  much,  and  when  to  apply.  All  forms  of  free  lime 
eventually  revert  to  carbonate  of  lime,  the  form  found 
in  the  original  limestone. 

Crushed  Limestone — This,  as  the  name  signifies,  is  the 
natural  limestone  crushed.  It  is  the  best  and  most  eco- 
nomical form  to  use  on  our  sandy  loams ;  best,  because 
it  is  the  nearest  like  a  natural  deposit;  economical,  be- 
cause it  has  had  no  expensive  preparation  and  can  be 
sold  cheap  in  bulk  by  car  lots  of  fifteen  or  more  tons. 
Two  or  three  tons  per  acre  is  the  usual  application. 
Under  ordinary  conditions  this  amount  will  put  the  land 
in  good  growing  condition  and  leave  enough  surplus  to 
meet  current  demands  for  about  four  years.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  the  usual  chemical  reactions  taking  place 
in  fertile  soil  cause  a  loss  each  year  of  about  500  pounds 
of  lime  per  acre. 

Quick,  Caustic  or  "Rock"  Lime — Rock  lime  is  ninde 
by  burning  limestone.  The  carbon  dioxide  is  driven  out 
by  intense  heat.  One  hundred  pounds  of  limestone  make 
fifty-six  pounds  of  rock  lime  which  furnishes  the  same 
amount  of  base  as  the  original  one  hundred  pounds  of 


14  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

limestone.  Bock  lime  is  sometimes  used  on  extremely 
plastic  (stick}7)  clay  soils,  but  should  not  be  applied  to 
ordinary  soils  as  its  violent  action  burns  out  the  humus. 

Hydrated  or  Water=Slaked  Lime — Hydrated  lime  is 
rock  lime  combined  with  about  one-third  its  weight  of 
water;  therefore,  seventy -four  pounds  are  equal  in  basic 
qualities  to  fifty-six  pounds  of  the  rock  lime  or  one  hun- 
dred pounds  of  limestone.  If,  for  the  purpose  of  saving 
freight  rock  lime  is  purchased,  it  should  be  water-slaked 
before  application.  This  can  be  done  by  putting  it  in 
piles  of  three  or  four  bushels  scattered  over  the  field 
and  covering  the  piles  with  four  or  five  inches  of  damp 
earth.  For  best  results,  leave  it  for  several  days  rather 
than  to  hasten  the  slaking  by  applying  all  the  needed 
water  at  once.  The  best  commercial  hydrated  lime  comes 
in  40-lb.  paper  bags.  It  is  put  up  in  this  way  to  pre- 
vent air-slaking.  About  one  ton  of  hydrated  lime  is 
used  per  acre.  It  acts  more  readily  than  crushed  lime- 
stone because  of  its  particles  being  so  much  finer,  but 
though  the  ton  application  may  give  as  good  results 
the  first  year  as  a  three-ton  application  of  crushed  lime- 
stone, its  effects  on  the  land  will  be  seen  less  than  half 
as  long. 

Air=Slaked  or  Carbonate  of  Lime — As  said  above,  all 
forms  of  free  lime  eventually  revert  to  carbonate  of  lime. 
If  rock  and  hydrated  lime  are  exposed  to  the  air  they 
gradually  take  on  carbon  dioxide  until  fully  combined. 
Air-slaked  lime  is  exactly  the  same  chemically  as  lime- 
stone and  has  the  same  value  as  base;  however,  its  physi- 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  15 

cal  form  being  so  much  finer,  allows  quicker  action  and 
the  general  application  of  air-slaked  lime  is  about  a  ton 
per  acre,  thus  another  application  will  be  needed  much 
sooner  than  when  crushed  limestone  is  used.  The  eco- 
nomical buyer  does  not  purchase  air-slaked  lime,  for 
it  costs  as  much  per  ton  as  the  hydrated  and  the  same 
freight,  yet  it  is  really  worth  only  three-fourths  as  much. 

Miscellaneous  Forms — Sulphate  of  lime,  gypsum,  or 
land  plaster,  is  not  a  base  but  is  most  valuable  in  in- 
ducing chemical  changes  that  bring  latent  plant  food 
(potash  in  particular)  into  availability.  Superphosphate 
and  dissolved  boneblack  are  about  two-thirds  sulphate 
of  lime,  and  one-third  phosphate  of  lime.  Sulphate  of 
lime  combines  with  free  ammonia,  fixing  it  as  sulphate 
of  ammonia.  Unleached  wood  ashes  contain  about  35 
per  cent,  carbonate  of  lime,  and  Basic  Slag  is  popularly 
believed  to  carry  about  33^  per  cent,  of  free  lime,  but 
Dr.  Van  Slyke,  Chemist  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station  of  New  York,  says  that  though  there  is  about 
a  35  per  cent,  content  of  calcium,  "generally  less  than 
two  and  often  less  than  one  per  cent,  is  present  as 
calcium  oxide  or  so-called  free  lime,  while  the  amount 
of  carbonate  is  insignificant." 

Free  lime  must  not  be  mixed  with  fertilizer,  as  it 
causes  a  waste  of  ammonia.  Lime  should  not  be  used 
on  Irish  potato  land;  it  makes  conditions  favorable  for 
scab.  Lime  around  cabbage,  etc.,  keeps  down  club  root, 
and  on  sweet  potato  ground  has  been  found  most  effective 
in  reducing  soil  rot  of  sweet  potatoes. 


16  WILSON  &  TOOMEIl  FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

When  to  Apply — When  land  needs  liming,  the  best 
time  to  put  the  lime  on  is  as  soon  as  the  labor  can  be 
secured  if  it  is  at  least  three  or  four  weeks  before  an 
application  of  fertilizer  or  two  weeks  after.  With  this 
precaution,  land  can  be  limed  at  any  time  convenient 
to  the  grower;  however,  when  it  can  be  so  arranged, 
probably  early  August  is  the  most  desirable  time  for 
application,  as  the  summer  fertilizer  is  well  incorpo- 
rated with  the  soil  so  there  will  be  no  waste  through 
contact  of  fertilizer  and  lime  on  surface  of  ground,  and 
the  nitrates  formed  will  be  taken  up  by  the  cover  crop 
and  the  September  growth  of  the  trees. 

Too  Much  Lime? — Too  great  alkalinity  is  detrimen- 
tal, but  the  dangerous  alkali  salts  are  based  "mainly  on 
soda  with  a  small  content  of  potash  and  usually  a  little 
lime  and  magnesia."  Black  alkali  is  mainly  carbonate 
of  soda,  while  white  alkali,  which  is  less  injurious,  is 
principally  sulphate  of  soda.  With  our  bounteous  rain- 
fall and  open  soil  there  is  not  the  least  danger  of  our 
forming  an  "alkali  desert"  by  any  applications  we  might 
make.  The  soda  left  from  nitrate  of  soda  is  beneficial 
to  us,  not  detrimental.  In  clay  lands  where,  nitrate  of 
soda  is  used  in  excess  it  packs  the  soil,  but  only  in  arid 
regions  does  "alkali"  accumulate.  As  against  "alkali," 
note  the  limestone  regions.  It  is  proverbial  that  "a  lime- 
stone country  is  a  rich  country."  Imagine  any  applica- 
tion of  limestone  approaching  the  amount  of  these  nat- 
ural deposits ! 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  17 

At  the  recent  citrus  seminar  Mr.  Collison,  Chemist  of 
the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  who  is  making  a 
particular  study  of  soil  chemistry  and  fertilizers,  made 
the  statement  that  though  he  could  not  give  the  maxi- 
mum amount  of  crushed  limestone  which  might  be  ap- 
plied without  harm  "ten  tons  per  acre  did  not  approach 
the  danger  line."  Both  Professor  Rolfs,  Director,  and 
Captain  Rose,  State  Chemist,  two  men  eminently  fitted 
by  education  and  wide  experience  to  pass  upon  Florida 
conditions,  agreed  to  his  statement.  Dean  Vernon,  of 
the  College  of  Agriculture,  Dr.  Flint,  Chemist,  and  Major 
Floyd,  Horticulturist  of  the  University  of  Florida,  and 
many  other  scientists,  as  well  as  our  oldest  and  most 
successful  growers  say  we  do  not  use  near  enough  lime 
and  that  there  is  no  probability  of  there  being  too  much 
crushed  limestone  applied  to  the  general  Florida  soil. 
Hopkins,  of  the  Illinois  Agricultural  Experiment  Sta- 
tion, mentions  a  ten-ton  per  acre  application  as  likely 
to  be  beneficial  rather  than  detrimental,  while  Hilgard, 
King,  Bailey,  Van  Slyke,  and  in  fact,  all  agricultural 
chemists,  emphasize  the  value  of  plenty  of  base  "prefer- 
ably carbonate  of  lime."  With  this  unanimity  of  all  real 
authorities  I  think  we  may  rest  easy  about  the  question 
of  too  much  lime,  especially  as  none  of  us  are  going  to 
use  even  five  tons  per  acre.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  though, 
that  the  application  of  two  or  three  tons  per  acre  of 
crushed  limestone  followed  every  four  years  by  at  least 
another  ton  is  going  to  become  general,  as  our  lands 
need  this  much  base. 


18  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Other  Uses  of  Lime 

Lime  is  one  of  the  essentials  of  plant  growth.  It  is 
used  to  strengthen  the  cell  walls,  and  with  potash,  aids 
in  the  moving  of  organized  plant  foods — starch,  sugar, 
etc., — within  the  plant.  The  word  "organized"  is  used 
in  this  instance  to  distinguish  the  "digested"  sap  or  com- 
bined substances  from  the  "raw"  sap,  or  separate  ele- 
ments. Van  Slyke,  in  his  extensive  study  of  the  relation 
of  lime  to  plant  growth,  found  lime  to  be  most  abundant 
where  there  was  the  greatest  activity;  that  "leaves  use 
over  fifteen  times  as  much  as  fruit;"  and  that  the  least 
lime  is  found  where  "manufactured  foods  are  stored  and 
in  dead  parts  such  as  old  wood."  Without  doubt,  more 
lime  is  used  as  a  direct  plant  food  than  is  generally  sup- 
posed, and  it  also  has  decidedly  beneficial  effects  on 
soil  texture. 

Lime  makes  clay  soils  more  open  and  sandy  soils  more 
compact.  It  aids  in  the  decomposition  of  organic  matter 
through  creating  conditions  favorable  for  the  rapid  mul- 
tiplication of  bacteria.  It,  in  a  measure,  replaces  potash 
in  unavailable  soil  compounds  and  often  induces  a  union 
with  the  phosphoric  acid  of  insoluble  iron  phosphates, 
thus  bringing  both  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  into  avail- 
ability. 

Because  of  this  soil  exhaustion  it  used  to  be  said  that 
lime  made  "rich  fathers  and  poor  sons,"  but  we  now 
have  learned  to  reap  the  good  and  avoid  the  evil. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  19 

Conservation  of  Soil 

While  every  effort  should  be  made  to  induce  bacterial 
and  chemical  activity  because  of  the  effects  upon  the 
general  condition  of  the  soil  it  must  be  remembered  that 
if  a  plant  uses  the  released  plant  foods  and  is  taken 
away,  or  if  the  soluble  plant  foods  are  lost  in  the  drain- 
age waters,  the  land  has  given  up  just  so  much  of  its 
resources.  The  wise  manager  keeps  up  or  adds  to  the 
natural  humus  content  and  applies  the  mineral  elements 
in  the  form  of  commercial  fertilizers  to  replace  more 
than  the  amount  used  by  the  plant.  He  fertilizes  his 
crop,  not  the  soil,  giving  extra  amounts  of  the  essential 
especially  lacking,  thus  providing  certainly  available 
nourishment  for  his  plants  and  constantly  building  up 
a  more  fertile  and  better  balanced  soil. 

In  relation  to  the  plant,  soil  should  not  be  considered 
as  a  pasture  through  which  rootlets  may  pick  their  way, 
gathering  a  morsel  here  and  there,  but  instead,  as  a 
comfortable  environment  providing  shelter  and  abundant 
supplies.  In  relation  to  its  owner,  soil  should  be  con- 
sidered as  a  bank.  It  is  not  how  much  we  can  get  out 
of  the  soil  that  affects  our  prosperity,  but  how  much  we 
put  in.  The  better  the  soil,  the  better  the  crops  that  can 
be  made  from  it,  so  the  grower  should  always  leave  a 
little  more  than  he  takes.  The  immediate  profit  should 
come  from  the  plants,  which,  if  managed  right,  give  us 
so  much  for  the  little  they  take.  In  no  way  is  the  world 
noted  "American  Improvidence"  shown  more  forcibly 
than  in  the  widespread  inattention  to  soil  conservation 
and  upbuilding. 


20  WILSON  &   TOOMKK    FERTILIZER   COMPANY 


Chapter  V 

Starting  the  Grove 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  not  have  read  the 
foregoing  carefully  I  will  indulge  in  a  little  recapitu- 
lation. 

Clear  the  land  thoroughly;  old  stumps  are  in  the  way 
of  cultivation,  create  more  or  less  acidity  and  invite 
wood  lice,  which,  at  any  time  may  conclude  that  they 
prefer  to  live  upon  the  tender  young  citrus  trees. 

Drainage  is  essential.  There  is  absolutely  no  use  in 
trying  to  raise  a  profitable  grove  on  water-soaked  land. 
Where  Nature  has  not  furnished  this  drainage,  provide 
for  it  before  planting  the  trees.  On  such  land  as  this 
the  grower  reaps  the  greatest  benefit  from  raising  a  crop 
of  cowpeas  or  velvet  beans  before  setting  his  grove. 

Liming  the  land  will  in  almost  every  instance  prove 
a  good  investment  and  in  most  cases  is  really  necessary 
for  profitable  results,  An  application  of  two  or  three 
tons  per  acre  of  crushed  limestone  is  a  most  economical 
and  satisfactory  way  to  meet  this  requirement.  The 
exceptions  to  needing  lime  would  be  in  some  limestone 
regions  and  where  there  is  a  marl  subsoil  about  a  foot 
below  the  surface.  In  such  cases  Nature  has  already 
supplied  the  lime. 

What  to  Plant — A  grapefruit  tree  bears  younger  than 
an  orange  tree,  and  since  each  fruit  is  so  much  larger. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  21 

the  number  of  boxes  is  greatly  increased  when  equal 
numbers  of  fruit  are  borne.  Much  of  the  time  grape- 
fruit sells  for  more  per  box.  The  prospective  grower 
eat  first  thinks  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  his  pref- 
erence,— quicker  returns  on  investment,  less  cost  per  box 
for  production,  higher  market, — all  in  favor  of  grape- 
fruit. Then  he  learns  that  many  others  have  come  to 
the  same  decision,  and  that  at  the  present  time  there 
are  hundreds  of  acres  more  grapefruit  than  oranges  not 
yet  in  bearing.  He  considers  that  though  grapefruit  is 
so  popular  as  a  breakfast  food  and  the  demand  for  it  is 
so  deservedly  increasing,  nothing  will  ever  appeal  to  the 
human  family  like  the  orange, — oranges  for  breakfast, 
dinner,  and  supper  and  between  meals,  nothing  more 
healthful  or  more  appetizing, — and  he  will  wisely  decide 
to  have  both  of  these  delicious  fruits. 

Varieties — There  are  a  bewildering  number  of  varie- 
ties, each  with  good  points,  but  for  strictly  financial  in- 
vestment the  choice  rests  with  a  few.  I  think  however 
enthusiastic  anyone  may  be  over  some  particular  fruit, 
all  experienced  growers  will  agree  that  the  greater  num- 
ber of  successes  have  been  made  from  the  varieties  named 
below. 

The  Duncan  grapefruit  is  oblate  in  form,  of  medium 
size,  attractive  in  appearance  and  of  fine  flavor.  It  bears 
freely  but  not  in  such  close  clusters  as  to  mar  the  fruit. 
It  is  desirable  in  every  way. 

The  Parson  Brown  is  an  orange  medium  to  large  in 
size,  yellow  in  color,  sometimes  with  orange  tinge,  rind 


22  WILSON  &  TOOME'R  FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

smooth  and  bright.  It  is  matured  in  October  and  No- 
vember and  if  it  is  not  gathered  soon,  loses  its  flavor. 
Often,  the  fruit  will  be  ripe  and  sweet  when  the  rind  is 
still  green.  , 

The  Pineapple  orange  is  oval  to  round  in  shape,  of 
medium  to  large  size,  has  deep  rich  orange  color,  often 
with  reddish  tinge.  The  rind  is  most  attractive,  being 
very  bright,  smooth  and  glossy.  The  juice  is  abundant 
and  of  exceptionally  good  flavor.  Its  season  is  about 
January  or  February,  but  it  can  be  held  later.  The  new 
groves  set  by  old  growlers  show  a  very  large  percentage 
of  this  variety. 

The  Valencia  Late  and  Hart's  Late  are  so  near  alike 
their  best  friends  make  little  or  no  distinction  between 
them.  They  are  round  or  slightly  oval  in  form,  medium 
to  large  in  size,  of  deep  golden  color,  with  thin,  smooth, 
tough  rind.  They  are  very  juicy  and  have  a  rich  flavor 
with  such  a  combination  of  acidity  and  sweetness  as  to 
be  especially  pleasing  during  the  spring  months, — March 
to  June, — when  they  are  in  season. 

The  Dancy  tangerine  is  the  most  satisfactory  orange 
of  the  Mandarin  family.  It  is  oblate  in  form,  medium 
size,  deep  orange  red,  smooth,  shiny  rind  which  is  easily 
removed ;  its  sections  separate  readily  and  the  flesh  is 
dark  orange  in  color,  coarse  grained,  juicy,  and  has 
scarcely  any  rag.  Flavor  is  rich,  season  December  and 
January. 

Special  favorites  are  generally  planted  for  home  pleas- 
ure. The  King  of  the  Mandarin  family  is  as  delicious 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  23 

as  its  exterior  is  unattractive.  The  Kuby  Blood  is  most 
luscious  and  is  especially  interesting  because  its  flesh 
is  first  yellow,  then  streaked  with  red  and  finally  becomes 
blood  red  when  fully  ripe.  The  Washington  Navel  is 
also  a  novelty  because  of  the  secondary  orange  in  the 
blossom  end,  giving  it  the  navel-like  appearance,  and 
is  delicious  to  the  taste.  Many  other  varieties  have  some 
specially  good  points  but  are  in  some  way  not  desirable 
as  commercial  propositions. 

Stock — The  sour  orange  stock  has  proved  itself  best 
adapted  to  all  kinds  of  soil  and  most  resistant  to  dis- 
eases. It  is  almost  immune  to  foot  rot  so  prevalent  on 
sweet  orange  or  rough  lemon  stock.  Grapefruit  stock 
promises  well  and  is  highly  favored  by  many,  but  it  has 
not  been  so  thoroughly  tested  as  the  sour  orange.  It 
roots  extremely  deep  and  is  best  suited  to  our  ^higher 
lands.  So  far  there  has  not  been  shown  to  be  any  differ- 
ence between  grapefruit  and  sour  orange  stock  as  to 
vigor  of  trees  or  quality  of  fruit. 

Size — There  is  a  difference  in  opinion  as  to  the  best 
age  of  trees  set.  To  the  investor  who  has  plenty  of 
capital  it  is  a  great  temptation  to  pay  a  higher  price 
and  get  a  nice,  big  tree  with  a  two-year-old  bud,  but  it 
has  been  the  experience  of  the  greater  number  that  a  two- 
or  three-year-old  stock  with  a  one-year-old  bud  stands 
transplanting  better  than  the  older  trees,  and  when  put 
side  by  side  will  be  larger  and  thriftier  two  years  after 
setting. 

Nursery  stock  should  be  neither  forced  nor  stunted 


24  WILSON  &  TOOMER  FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

and  should  be  grown  on  a  lighter,  drier  soil  than  in  the 
proposed  grove  rather  than  on  heavier,  wetter  land. 

When  to  Set  Trees — The  best  time  to  set  trees  is  from 
the  middle  of  November  to  the  middle  of  February, 
though  with  proper  handling  it  is  safe  to  move  an  orange 
tree  at  almost  any  time.  Trees  must  be  kept  damp  from 
the  taking-up  until  they  are  set  in  the  ground.  Many 
a  tree  gets  its  death  stroke  between  the  nursery  and  the 
grove,  though  it  may  struggle  along  some  months  before 
it  finally  succumbs. 

Pruning — Do  not  make  the  mistake  of  trying  to  keep 
too  much  top.  The  top  should  be  cut  off  about  one  and 
a  half  or  two  feet  above  the  ground.  The  roots  should 
be  cut  to  about  a  foot  in  length,  with  the  tap  root  about 
one  and  a  half  feet.  The  ends  should  be  cut  smooth,  not 
broken  or  crushed. 

Distance — There  are  many  opinions  in  regard  to  what 
is  the  most  profitable  space  for  a  tree.  My  personal  pref- 
erence is  to  have  orange  trees  twenty,  and  grapefruit 
trees  twenty-five  feet  apart  in  rows  thirty  feet  wide. 
When  well  grown  the  branches  will  meet  in  the  rows, 
but  a  team  can  pass  between  the  rows.  For  economy  and 
effectiveness  of  labor,  it  is  necessary  to  use  teams,  which 
would  be  impossible  in  groves  set  much  closer  than  this. 
The  closely  set  groves  yield  a  much  greater  income  the 
first  few  years  at  least.  Their  advocates  say  they  con- 
tinue to  do  so,  but  all  the  owners  of  old  closely  set 
groves  I  have  seen,  wish  they  had  more  space.  Many 
prospective  growers  have  it  figured  out  on  paper  that 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  25 

they  could  afford  to  cut  down  every  other  tree  when  the 
grove  is  eight  or  ten  years  old,  but  unfortunately,  the 
profits  on  citrus  culture  show  to  just  the  same  advantage 
on  paper  as  compared  with  real  practice  as  do  the  profits 
on  any  other  kind  of  business.  The  man  who  said  "fig- 
ures don't  lie"  never  figured  out  any  financial  propo- 
sition dependent  upon  labor  and  climatic  conditions,  and 
then  tried  to  make  actual  practice  match  his  figures. 

Final  Preparation — Low  ground  should  be  plowed  into 
beds  the  width  of  the  rows  before  setting  the  stakes  to 
mark  places  for  the  trees.  Shallow  cultivation  should 
immediately  follow  the  plowing  and  be  repeated  after 
every  rain.  The  land  should  be  left  to  settle  at  least 
a  month  before  planting.  If  some  hard  rains  come,  so 
much  the  better.  Care  should  be  taken  to  set  the  stakes 
exact, — in  straight  rows  and  equal  distance  apart. 
Around  each  stake  spread  a  peck  of  hardwood  ashes. 
When  the  hole  is  dug  the  ashes  will  become  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  soil. 

Holes — Pull  the  dirt  from  around  the  stake  with  a 
hoe,  leaving  the  ground  in  the  shape  of  an  inverted  sau- 
cer, the  bottom  edge  being  a  foot  deep.  Drive  a  stake 
in  the  ground  to  make  a  hole  for  the  tap  root. 

Setting  the  Trees — Place  the  tree  in  the  hole  and 
spread  the  roots  evenly.  If  a  root  is  longer  than  the 
width  of  the  hole  allows  do  not  pinch  off  the  end  or 
turn  it  to  one  side,  as  so  many  do,  but  dig  out  a  place 
for  it  to  extend  full  length  in  a  natural  position.  Set 
the  tree  an  inch  higher  than  it  was  in  the  nursery  as  it 


26  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

will  settle  some,  and  a  tree  set  too  low  never  prospers. 
Pull  part  of  the  dirt  over  the  roots  and  pour  in  a  bucket 
of  water,  holding  the  bucket  at  least  two  feet  above  the 
ground  so  the  water  will  fall  with  force.  Pull  more  dirt 
around  the  trees  and  pack  tightly,  mounding  up  a  little 
in  the  shape  of  a  saucer.  Pour  on  another  bucket  of 
water  and  then  mulch  with  dry  dirt  to  prevent  evapora- 
tion. There  should  be  no  delay  in  the  work  from  the 
time  the  dirt  is  first  disturbed  until  the  mulching  is  in 
place,  thus  preserving  the  natural  moisture  of  the  soil. 

Care — The  trees  will  need  no  further  attention  for 
several  weeks  unless  the  season  is  especially  dry,  in 
which  case  water  should  be  given  very  sparingly  until 
the  rains  come.  The  dry  mulch  should  be  replaced  each 
time  the  trees  are  watered.  Too  much  water  will  cause 
the  soil  to  sour  and  give  the  trees  a  serious  setback. 

Fertilizer — It  will  be  noted  that  I  advise  no  fertilizer 
at  time  of  planting.  About  the  first  of  February,  or 
when  the  new  growth  starts,  give  each  tree  a  pound  of 
a  formula  carrying  about  five  per  cent,  bf  ammonia,  six 
per  cent,  phosphoric  acid  and  five  per  cent,  potash,  de- 
rived from  nitrate  of  soda,  sulphate  of  ammonia,  tank- 
age or  Peruvian  guano,  superphosphate  or  dissolved  bone- 
black  and  sulphate  of  potash ;  or,  if  the  land  is  especially 
low  and  heavy,  use  a  strictly  chemical  formula  carrying 
less  ammonia  and  more  potash, — about  a  4-6-8  analysis. 

In  June  and  September  two  more  applications  of  one 
pound  of  fertilizer  can  be  made.  The  second  year  the 
trees  should  use  two  pounds  of  fertilizer  at  each  appli- 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  27 

cation,  and  the  third  year  three  pounds.  After  this 
the  amount  can  be  rapidly  increased  if  the  trees  are 
doing  well,  for  the  fourth  year  should  find  them  com- 
mencing to  bear  fruit. 

Training — Generally  speaking,  the  citrus  tree  knows 
better  how  it  wants  to  grow  than  does  the  one  who  in- 
terferes with  its  development.  It  does  not  hurt  it  to 
bear  fruit  young,  as  is  the  case  with  many  other  fruit 
trees.  All  sprouts  below  the  bud  should  be  rubbed  off, 
but  the  sprouts  above  the  bud  should  be  left  unless  they 
seem  especially  crowded,  in  which  case  it  will  be  best 
to  pinch  off  the  tops  of  some  of  the  shoots.  After  the 
trees  get  well  started  they  may  need  "shaping  up"  a 
little,  but  no  extensive  pruning  should  be  done.  Dead 
wood  is  a  great  source  of  infection;  if  any  occurs  it 
should  be  removed,  the  cut  being  made  back  to  an  elbow 
and  left  a  smooth  slant. 

Cultivation — Young  trees  should  be  hoed  deep  so  as  to 
make  the  roots  strike  down.  The  middles  can  be  plowed 
in  spring.  Cultivation  should  be  kept  up  all  through 
the  dry  season  to  conserve  moisture.  When  the  summer 
rains  commence  the  ground  should  be  covered  either  with 
natural  growth  of  grass  or  weeds  or  a  planted  cover 
crop.  My  personal  choice  of  cover  crops  would  be  cow- 
peas.  This  growth  must  not  be  allowed  to  "smother" 
the  roots  of  the  trees.  There  should  be  a  heavy  mulch 
of  dead  vegetation  for  at  least  three  feet  from  the  trunk. 
This  mulch  must  not  touch  the  trunk  of  the  tree  or  wood 
lice  will  be  likely  to  nest  there.  When  the  weather  gets 


28  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

cool  the  mulching  should  be  drawn  away  to  allow  all 
the  warmth  possible  to  reach  the  young  roots.  The  cover 
crop  can  either  be  allowed  to  die  down  naturally  as  the 
season  is  over  or  be  mowed  and  left  broadcast  to  be 
disked  in  before  next  plowing.  Never  work  the  soil  when 
saturated  with  water  or  during  the  heat  of  summer,  and 
never  plow  in  green  vegetation.  These  are  three  causes 
for  acid  soils. 

Insects  and  Diseases — If  the  above  precautions  are 
taken  in  the  preparation  of  land  and  its  cultivation  there 
will  likely  be  no  diseases  affecting  the  young  trees,  as 
the  troubles  of  young  citrus  trees  are  almost  invariably 
due  to  lack  of  care,  but  they  must  be  watched  closely 
for  insects.  Sometimes  ants  or  grasshoppers  eat  part 
of  the  foliage  and  occasionally  .there  will  be  found  a 
great  ugly  worm  called  the  "orange  dog"  which  is  a 
voracious  eater  and  makes  a  young  tree  look  ragged  in 
a  short  time,  but  none  of  these  troubles  are  likely  to  be 
of  any  great  moment. 

The  nests  of  the  ants  should  be  broken  up  by  making 
holes  into  them  by  thrusting  down  a  pointed  stick  and 
into  each  hole  pouring  a  tablespoonful  of  bisulphide  of 
carbon  (which  is  very  inflammable),  covering  each  hole 
immediately  with  tightly  packed  earth.  Grasshoppers 
can  be  killed  by  scattering  around  the  trees  bait  made 
as  follows :  One  part  Paris  green,  two  parts  salt,  forty 
partfe  horse  manure  by  measure,  and  water  sufficient  to 
make  it  soft  without  being  sloppy.  Grasshoppers  show 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  29 

a  great  fondness  for  moist  horse  manure.  Orange  dogs 
must  be  hand  picked. 

The  serious  pest  of  young  trees  is  the  scale.  Procure 
a  lens  and  examine  any  roughness  found  on  trunk,  twigs 
or  leaves.  If  whitefly  is  in  your  section  that  must  be 
controlled  also.  Luckily  the  same  spray  is  effective  for 
both  whitefly  and  scale,  but  the  spray  must  be  directed 
to  the  infested  areas.  Whitefly  lives  on  the  under  side 
of  the  leaves ;  scales  are  anywhere  they  happen  to  settle, 
but  are  generally  more  numerous  on  the  trunk  and 
branches.  Both  are  sucking  insects  and  must  be  killed 
with  contact  insecticides.  Yothers'  Formula  No.  3  is 
the  best  mixture  for  this  purpose  known  at  the  present 
time,  as  it  not  only  kills  all  the  insects  it  hits  but  re- 
mains on  the  trees  several  weeks  in  sufficient  strength 
to  kill  newly  hatched  larvae.  It  is  made  as  follows: 
Three  measures  Diamond  Paraffine  Oil,  two  of  whale-oil 
soap  and  one  of  water.  While  rapidly  beating  the  soap 
add  the  oil,  a  few  drops  at  a  time.  It  should  form  a 
creamy  emulsion.  Gradually  add  the  water  as  the  beat- 
ing is  continued.  Test  for  perfect  emulsion  by  putting  a 
little  in  a  glass  of  water.  If  free  oil  forms  on  the  sur- 
face the  mixture  must  be  beaten  longer  and  perhaps  a 
little  more  soap  added.  When  thoroughly  emulsified  use 
one  part  of  this  stock  solution  to  fifty  parts  of  water. 
To  have  the  greatest  effect  spraying  should  be  done  soon 
after  the  young  are  hatched. 

Criticisms — The  above  is  not  the  only  way  to  set  a 
grove.  Probably  there  is  not  a  citrus  grower  in  the  State 


30  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

but  would  differ  from  me  in  some  particular;  but  I  have 
given  what  is  a  safe  method  for  the  inexperienced  grove- 
maker  to  follow.  I  would  ask  those  who  specially  differ 
to  put  the  method  they  would  propose  to  these  two  tests : 
Would  it  suit  general  conditions,  or  is  it  specially 
adapted  to  one  particular  locality?  Could  a  person  en- 
tirely unacquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  citrus  tree 
successfully  carry  out  the  plan,  or  does  it  require  the 
judgment  gained  only  from  years  of  experience?  An 
experienced  citrus  grower  can  safely  push  young  trees 
much  faster  than  a  novice  should  attempt. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  31 

Chapter  VI 

What  a  Fertilizer  Tag  Means 

Captain  Rose,  our  efficient  State  Chemist,  says :  "A  fer- 
tilizer tag  is  intended  to  mean  just  what  it  says — how 
many  pounds  of  valuable  plant  food  are  contained  in 
the  package,  and  what  materials  are  used  in  its  manu- 
facture." This  is  the  kernel  of  the  nut.  The  fertilizer 
tag  means  what  it  says,  not  what  it  implies.  The  word- 
ing below  is  taken  from  a  model  tag. 

W.  &,  T.'s 

Special  Mixture    No.  1 

Manufactured  by 

Wilson  &,  Toomer  Fertilizer  Co. 

Manufacturers  of  the  Celebrated  "IDEAL  FERTILIZERS" 

200  POUNDS  JACKSONVILLE,  FLORIDA 

GUARANTEED   ANALYSIS 

Moisture  at  212  degrees  Fahrenheit,  not  exceeding 8  per  cent. 

Available  Phosphoric  Acid,  not  less  than 6  per  cent. 

Insoluble  Phosphoric  Acid,  not  less  than    1  per  cent. 

Ammonia,  actual  and  potential,  not  less  than    5  per  cent. 

(Derived  from  Sulphate  of  Ammonia.  Nitrate  of  Soda  and  Tankage) 

Potash   (K20)   Water  Soluble,  not  less  than 5  per  cent. 

Chlorine,   not   exceeding    1  per  cent. 

This  fertilizer  is  made  from   Sulphate  of  Ammonia,   Nitrate  of  Soda, 
Tankage,   Superphosphate,  and   Sulphate  of  Potash. 

It  is  well  to  pay  attention  to  the  brand  name.  Each 
fertilizer  company  sends  out  many  different  formulas 


32  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

suited  to  different  purposes  and  the  brand  name  is  a 
short,  simple  way  to  give  full  description  of  the  exact 
formula.  It  means  certain  proportions  of  certain  mate- 
rials as  shown  on  the  tag  attached  to  the  fertilizer  sack. 

The  name  of  the  manufacturers  means  just  what  they 
have  made  it  mean.  Like  all  classes  of  people,  some  natu- 
rally want  to  give  their  customers  a  fair  deal,  others 
see  the  policy  in  doing  so,  while  others  skim  just  as, 
near  to  the  edge  of  the  law  as  they  dare.  Florida  is  to 
be  congratulated  on  the  high  standard  maintained  by 
her  fertilizer  people  and  on  the  means  she  has  taken  to 
protect  honest  manufacturers  and  the  consumers,  but 
it  is  not  alone  honesty  that  determines  the  value  of 
the  manufacturer's  name.  Analysis  and  sources  deter- 
mine the  market  value  of  fertilizer,  but  the  practical 
value  is  largely  influenced  by  proportions  and  combina- 
tions. Some  manufacturers  are  keener  than  others  to 
see  just  what  gives  best  results  or  will  work  harder  to 
bring  those  results  about.  The  personal  factor  has  the 
same  influence  in  the  fertilizer  business  as  in  everything 
else. 

The  number  of  pounds  tells  the  amount  put  into  the 
sack  at  the  time  of  filling. 

The  guaranteed  analysis  tells  the  amount  of  actual 
plant  food,  the  moisture  content  as  an  indicator  of  physi- 
cal condition,  and  the  chlorine  content  to  protect  the 
grower  of  such  crops  as  are  harmed  by  chlorine. 

The  fertilizer  is  sold  on  the  basis  of  its  actual  content 
of  phosphoric  acid,  ammonia  and  potash.  Six  per  cent. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  33 

of  phosphoric  acid  means  that  six  pounds  of  the  actual 
phosphoric  acid  are  in  every  hundred  pounds  of  fertilizer, 
or  120  pounds  in  every  ton.  When  the  grower  first  looks 
into  this  he  is  likely  to  reckon  up  the  actual  plant  food, 
which  on  the  above  tag  would  amount  to  340  pounds 
and  begin  to  talk  about  16GO  pounds  filler.  He  will  "buy 
his  fertilizer  materials  and  mix  them  himself  before  he 
will  pay  for  so  much  sand !"  But  when  he  begins  to 
figure  on  these  fertilizer  materials  he  finds  that  to  get  the 
120  pounds  phosphoric  acid  he  must  buy  750  pounds 
superphosphate,  that  his  sources  of  ammonia  run  from 
6^  to  25  per  cent.,  and  that  high-grade  sulphate  of  potash 
carries  only  49  per  cent,  actual  plant  food.  In  fact, 
that  the  materials  necessary  to  supply  this  analysis 
easily  make  up  the  2000  pounds. 

The  buyer  should  note  whether  the  term  "Available 
Phosphoric  Acid"  is  used  and  not  accept  a  guarantee  of 
"Phosphoric  Acid"  or  "Total  Phosphoric  Acid"  alone  un- 
less the  source  is  of  an  organic  nature, — tankage,  bone, 
guano,  etc.  One  exception  to  this  rule  would  be  in  the 
case  of  Thomas  Phosphate  Powder,  as  it  is  always  sold 
under  guarantee  of  total  phosphoric  acid,  but  this  mate- 
rial is  seldom  used  in  formulas.  After  taking  this  pre- 
caution, he  can  be  assured  he  is  getting  all  the  plant  food 
represented  for  "woe  be  unto"  the  manufacturer  giving 
short  measure.  Captain  Kose  and  his  inspectors  would 
catch  up  with  him  before  he  got  well  started  in  such 
methods. 

But  in  the  last  paragraph  there  are  sometimes  pitfalls 


34  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

for  the  unwary.  You  will  note  on  this  model  tag  there 
is  a  distinct  statement  in  regard  to  the  materials  used. 
It  gives  definite  information.  If  in  addition  to  this  state- 
ment there  were  the  words  "and  other  ingredients"  the 
whole  guarantee  of  its  sources  would  be  practically 
broken  down,  for  any  of  the  sources  named  'could  be  used 
in  small  quantities  and  any  "other  ingredients"  suited 
to  the  manufacturer's  convenience  could  be  used.  It 
would  be  possible  under  this  wording  to  supply  a  largely 
organic  fertilizer  under  seemingly  purely  chemical  repre- 
sentation, or  vice  versa.  Or  again,  if  in  place  of  "tank- 
age" the  words  "organic  matter"  were  used,  that  organic 
matter  could  be  tankage  or  guano  to  be  sure,  but  it  also 
could  be  any  organic  material  supplying  available  am- 
monia, from  treated  garbage  or  leather  and  wool  waste 
to  all  forms  of  vegetable  matter, — cotton  seed  meal,  cas- 
tor meal,  etc.  The  tag  "means  what  it  says." 

But  what  is  back  of  the  tag?  Not  only  the  manufac- 
turer but  the  State.  Our  fertilizer  law  is  very  strict  and 
closely  followed  up  by  the  State  officials.  Inspectors 
are  constantly  over  the  State,  drawing  samples  from  fer- 
tilizers offered  for  sale.  Any  sack  of  fertilizer  sent  out, 
even  to  the  most  remote  flag  station,  is  likely  to  come 
within  their  investigations.  Besides  this  there  is  a  pro- 
vision for  "Special  Samples"  which  can  be  drawn  by 
the  consumer  and  sent  to  the  State  Laboratory  for  analy- 
sis free  of  cost.  To  protect  the  manufacturer  there  are 
certain  "rules  and  regulations  (sent  by  the  Department 
of  Agriculture,  Tallahassee),  under  which  this  sample 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  35 

must  be  drawn,  but  they  are  easy  to  follow  and  there 
is  no  excuse  for  the  buyer  to  be  in  doubt  as  to  whether 
he  is  getting  a  "square  deal."  Florida  is  the  only  State 
giving  her  citizens  this  protection  which  is  equally  valu- 
able to  manufacturers  and  consumers. 

Who  pays  for  this  inspection?  The  manufacturer  pri- 
marily,, as  he  buys  the  stamps  and  affixes  them,  but 
eventually  the  consumer,  as  in  everything  else.  The  cost 
is  very  slight  per  ton, — only  twenty-five  cents, — but 
since  183,437.84  tons  of  commercial  fertilizer  were  used 
in  the  State  in  1011  the  aggregate  of  stamp  sales  for  fer- 
tilizer was  the  tidy  sum  of  $45,859.46. 

In  Captain  Rose's  Eeport  for  1909,  he  shows  that  under 
this  law  which  was  first  enforced  in  1901,  the  goods  put 
upon  the  market  increased  in  actual  value  more  than 
ten  per  cent.,  many  unreliable  brands  being  driven  from 
the  State.  In  the  year  1909  this  ten  per  cent,  of  the 
selling  price  of  fertilizer  together  with  feeds,  which  are 
protected  in  the  same  way,  amounted  to  $657,840.  That 
is,  the  consumers  of  fertilizers  and  feeds  in  Florida  were 
given  $657,840  more  for  their  money  than  they  would 
have  received  had  the  law  not  been  enacted.  The  stamps 
for  this  year  cost  the  consumers  $56,792,  leaving  over 
$600,000  clear  gain  in  a  single  year. 

The  sale  of  inspection  stamps  for  fertilizer  and  feed 
in  1912  amounted  to  $82,820.55  and  the  inspection  cost 
the  State  $15,257.41,  leaving  a  credit  to  the  General 
Revenue  Fund  of  $67,563.14. 


36  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

The  agriculturist  pays  this  in  the  main,  for  he  uses 
all  fertilizer  and  the  greater  share  of  the  feed.  Yet 
with  all  this  surplus  he  is  very  modest  in  his  demands 
upon  the  State  Funds. 

He  needs  to  have  his  workers  at  the  State  Experiment 
Station  better  paid,  so  that  other  States  cannot  take  them 
from  us  when  they  reach  the  point  where  they  can  be  of 
greatest  service.  He  needs  more  funds  to  print  matter 
that  has  been  compiled  for  his  benefit, — matter  of  untold 
value  to  him  that  is  lying  in  manuscript  inactive  upon  the 
shelves.  He  needs  more  workers,  for  there  are  problems 
of  immense  economic  value  that  are  unconsidered  for 
lack  of  men.  He  needs  more  Farmers'  Institutes,  a 
yearly  demonstration  train,  support  for  the  Horticul- 
tural Society  that  is,  and  the  Agricultural  and  Live  Stock 
Societies  that  ought  to  be.  He  needs  the  work  of  nur- 
sery inspection  enlarged  and  a  horticultural  law  suiting 
our  conditions  gradually  built  up  and  enforced.  He 
needs, — oh,  there  is  no  use  trying  to  tell  all  the  ways 
the  grower  could  use  his  own  money  to  advantage  since 
he  is  willing  to  let  other  folks  use  it  for  him.  I  am 
no  politician,  but  even  I  wonder  at  our  energetic  talk 
about  laws,  the  apathy  we  show  in  getting  them  enacted, 
and  the  utter  disregard  we  have  of  any  provision  for 
enforcing  them  if  they  are  passed.  See,  this  trait  is  in 
us  all,  but  I  am  going  back  to  fertilizers. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  37 


Chapter  VII 
Home  Mixing 

We  were  speaking  of  the  grower  considering  the  matter 
of  mixing  his  own  fertilizer.  Personally,  I  place  home 
mixing  of  fertilizers  on  the  same  level  as  making  one's 
own  furniture,  tools,  clothes,  sugar,  soap,  etc.  In  the 
twenty-one  years  I  lived  on  the  farm  here  in  Florida 
there  was  no  "home  mixing"  or  "special  mixtures"  used 
or  even  straight-  chemicals  with  the  exception  of  a  little 
nitrate  of  soda.  I  always  did  believe  in  taking  all  I 
could  get  for  nothing.  When  I  can  get  the  experience 
of  many  people  for  many  years  and  all  the  excellence 
of  expert  work  for  no  addition  on  cost  of  material,  I 
take  it. 

Aside  from  the  trouble  that  may  come  from  improper 
combinations  and  proportions,  chemical  analyses  show 
that  even  though  home  mixing  be  done  according  to  the 
best  directions,  the  results  are  far  from  uniform; — that 
labor  with  the  equipment  of  the  farm  cannot  compete 
with  the  efficiency  of  a  modern  factory.  H.  C.  Moore  of 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  has  given  this  subject  an  extensive  study. 
His  compilation  of  analyses  from  crude  mixing  facili- 
ties is  most  interesting.  For  instance,  four  different 
samples  of  a  should-be  0-2-3  formula  run  from  8.18  to 
15.35  per  cent,  available  phosphoric  acid,  from  .56  to 
2.81)  per  cent,  ammonia,  and  from  .43  to  3.27  per  cent,  of 


38  WILSON  &  TOOMEK   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

potash.  We  can  only  imagine  what  a  great  number 
of  samples  would  have  shown.  He  rightly  says  "A 
planter  surely  cannot  expect  to  get  uniform  results  from 
application  of  such  poorly  mixed  fertilizers." 

He  calls  up  a  further  point,  that  fertilizer  materials 
have  such  different  weights  they  do  not  stay  mixed  unless 
properly  ground  and  combined  together.  He  gives  the 
weight  per  cubic  foot  of  some  of  the  most  common  mate- 
rials as  follows  :  Superphosphate,  60  Ibs. ;  blood,  30  Ibs. ; 
tankage,  45  Ibs.;  nitrate  of  soda,  85  Ibs.;  sulphate  of 
ammonia,  55  Ibs.;  sulphate  of  potash,  80  Ibs.  When 
merely  mixed  the  heavier  materials  gradually  settle 
toward  the  bottom. 

It  is  best  for  all  users  of  fertilizers  to  learn  all  they 
can  about  different  fertilizer  materials,  and  I  will  go 
into  detail  on  that  subject  later,  but  such  knowledge  is 
necessary  far  more  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  proper 
formulas  than  for  the  creating  of  formulas,  for  when 
the  different  materials  are  mixed  together  their  action 
on  each  other  must  be  considered  as  well  as  upon  the 
plant  and  the  soil. 

To  my  mind,  there  could  not  be  a  better  argument 
for  mixed  formulas  than  the  tank  experiments  carried 
on  at  Gainesville.  From  them  we  find  a  great  waste  of 
nitrates — greater  by  far  when  nitrate  of  soda  was  used, 
but  alarming  even  from  sulphate  of  ammonia.  Both 
for  the  prosperity  of  the  plant  and  for  economy,  it  is  a 
feasible  conclusion  that  a  gradually  available  supply  is 
better  than  any  one  particular  source.  An  exception 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  39 

to  this  would  be  in  formulas  carrying  low  content  of 
ammonia,  especially  in  cool  weather  when  bacterial  ac- 
tion is  slower,  but  generally  speaking,  I  would  choose 
two  or  three  sources  of  ammonia. 

Who  knows  just  how  much  of  these  sources  should  be 
used  to  guard  against  starving  periods  and  waste?  Some 
men  in  the  State  can  watch  their  crops  and  tell  from 
time  to  time  just  what  plant  food  they  need,  and  from 
this  experience  can  order  special  mixtures  suited  to  their 
needs,  but  they  are  few.  Some  citrus  growers  pre- 
fer to  feed  their  trees  "piece  meal"  as  it  might  be  called, 
— a  little  nitrate  of  soda  now,  or  perhaps  some  sulphate 
of  ammonia,  some  dissolved  boneblack  or  superphosphate 
later,  and  at  another  time  some  sulphate  of  potash. 
Some  of  the  finest  of  groves  are  fertilized  in  this  way, 
but  they  are  not  one  bit  finer  than  some  other  groves 
that  never  have  had  anything  but  straight  commercial 
formulas,  and  the  men  have  had  a  great  deal  of  unneces- 
sary thought  and  execution.  My  contention  is  not  at 
all  that  no  grower  knows  how  to  feed  his  crops,  but  that 
only  a  few  have  given  the  matter  sufficient  attention  to 
get  the  best  results  in  this  way  and  that  these  few  could 
turn  their  time  to  better  use  financially.  If,  as  is  the 
case  with  many,  the  work  is  a  matter  of  pleasure,  that 
alters  the  matter  entirely.  Besides  enjoying  himself, 
such  a  man  adds  to  the  State's  assets,  for  the  greater 
number  of  the  most  successful  commercial  formulas  come 
from  just  such  origin  and  the  one  who  buys  them  has 
the  benefit  of  the  other  man's  work.  But  I  write  to  the 


40 


WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 


great  majority, — those  who  are  particularly  interested 
in  the  financial  side  of  the  matter.  They  do  not  have 
time  or  inclination  to  become  experts  in  the  use  of  plant 
food  and  to  attain  the  greatest  financial  success  should 
be  as  ready  to  secure  the  benefits  of  expert  fertilizer  pro- 
duction as  to  use  the  product  of  other  manufacturers. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  41 


Chapter  VIII 

Effect  of  the  Different  Elements 

All  forms  of  nitrogen  are  legally  reckoned  as  ammo- 
nia, phosphorus  as  phosphoric  acid,  and  potassium  as 
potash.  I  fear  an  account  of  the  exact  difference  in  these 
forms  would  be  tedious,  so  in  speaking  of  these  elements 
I  will  simply  call  them  by  their  trade  names  and  not 
make  nice  distinctions  for  the  sake  of  being  chemically 
exact. 

Ammonia  promotes  growth ;  phosphoric  acid,  general 
development  and  fruiting,  and  potash  hardens  the  plant 
and  gives  to  the  fruit  color,  flavor  and  firmness  of  tex- 
ture. All  three  are  important  in  all  plant  functions, 
either  being  a  constituent  of  or  intimately  associated 
with  the  protoplasm,  which  is  the  jelly-like  substance 
just  within  the^  cell  walls — the  real  living  part  of  the 
plant. 

Ammonia  forms  about  sixteen  per  cent,  of  the  proto- 
plasm and  "regulates  the  growth  of  the  \vhole  plant," 
while  "without  phosphorus,  protoplasm  could  not  exist," 
and  potash  influences  the  "formation  and  activity  of  pro- 
toplasm." 

Ammonia  is  also  a  "prominent  constituent  of  chloro- 
phyl," — the  substance  which  gives  the  green  color  to 
plants,  and  which  is  so  active  in  the  "digestion"  of  plant 
food  elements. 


42  WILSON  &  TOOMKK   FERTILIZES   COMPANY 

Phosphoric  Acid  acts  particularly  as  a  catalyzer  or 
digestor  of  other  compounds,  and  in  connection  with  pot- 
ash, magnesia  and  lime  acts  in  the  translocation  of  plant 
food.  Phosphoric  acid  is  especially  essential  in  seed  de- 
velopment and  by  this  action  tends  to  early  maturing 
of  fruit. 

Potash  and  lime  give  strength  to  cell  walls.  Potash 
is  necessary  in  the  formation  of  starch,  sugar,  and  cel- 
lulose,— the  fibrous  part  of  plants, — though  it  is  not  a 
constituent  of  these  compounds;  and  it  is  potash  which 
gives  the  tartness  so  desirable  in  all  fruit  to  relieve  in- 
sipidity. Potash  is  needed  for  the  development  of  flesh 
on  "fleshy"  fruits  and  to  give  this  flesh  "good  shipping 
qualities." 

Proportions — So  long  as  right  proportions  are  main- 
tained, the  plant  will  develop  properly  however  much 
(within  reason)  plant  food  it  has  at  hand,  but  unbal- 
anced proportions  are  detrimental. 

Too  great  a  proportion  of  nitrogen  makes  the  growth 
soft  and  flabby  and  very  susceptible  to  disease.  Too 
little  limits  all  activity, — growth  of  plant,  blooming,  or 
development  of  fruit, — and  is  likely  to  show  especially 
in  small  leaves  and  "off  color,"  either  a  pale  green  or  a 
more  or  less  deep  tinge  of  yellow. 

Too  great  a  proportion  of  phosphoric  acid  makes  the 
leaves  small,  profuse  bloom,  and  the  fruit  mature  while 
yet  undersized.  Too  little  shows  in  the  "mottled  leaf," 
scant  blooming,  and  lack  of  general  vigor  and  develop- 
ment. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  43 

Too  great  a  proportion  of  potash  makes  small  foliage 
and  hard,  brittle  wood,  and  checks  prolificness.  Too 
little  leaves  the  plant  and  fruit  soft  in  texture,  therefore 
susceptible  to  disease  and  decay,  limits  the  starch  or 
sugar  content  and  causes  a  lack  of  any  high  color  which 
may  be  natural  to  the  fruit. 

Lime  is  used  as  mentioned  above  in  strengthening  the 
cell  walls  and  translocation  of  plant  food,  for  which  it 
is  most  essential,  but  its  greatest  effect  upon  the  plant 
is  indirectly  through  establishing  good  soil  conditions. 
We  have  already  taken  that  up  except  that  the  presence 
of  lime  causes  a  profuse  development  of  root  hairs  which 
increases  the  plant's  power  to  feed. 

Magnesia  is  closely  associated  with  lime.  It  is  one 
of  the  plant  essentials,  vet  it  is  actually  noxious  to  plants 
even  in  small  quantities  unless  accompanied  by  lime  in 
a  ratio  of  about  2:1.  Magnesia  is  important  in  the  de- 
velopment of  seed,  acts  with  the  protoplasm  in  assimi- 
lating phosphates,  and  is  a  constituent  of  chlorophyl. 
Those  who  wish  to  study  this  element  further  should 
send  to  United  States  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Washington, 
D.  C.,  for  Bulletin  No.  1,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry :  "The 
delation  of  Lime  and  Magnesia  to  Plant  Growth." 

Sulphur  is  a  constituent  of  the  protoplasm  and  also 
of  plant  protein, — that  is  the  nitrogenous  compounds, 
"Its  action  is  important,"  many  plants  using  more  sul- 
phur than  phosphorus. 

Iron  is  necessary  for  formation  of  chlorophyl,  though 
no  iron  compound  is  found  in  either  protoplasm  or  chlo- 


44  AVILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

rophyl.  It  is  highly  important,  but  used  in  such  infini- 
tesimal quantities  Nature  always  has  sufficient  available 
iron  at  hand.  Van  Slyke  says :  "No  direct  evidence  has 
yet  been  furnished  to  show  that  the  application  of  iron 
compounds  has  any  beneficial  effect  on  either  color  or 
yield  of  fruit." 

Chlorine  and  Sodium-  are  not  essentials  to  plant  life, 
but  are  invariably  found  in  the  plant.  Beyond  a  certain 
amount  they  are  harmful,  some  crops  being  much*  more 
sensitive  to  their  effects  than  others.  These  two  elements 
combined  form  our  common  salt. 

Manganese  is  not  an  essential  and  is  of  so  little  im- 
portance many  authorities  do  not  mention  its  connec- 
tion with  plant  life,  though  a  trace  of  it  is  generally 
found  in  all  plants.  In  certain  parts  of  the  world  (where 
lava  abounds)  it  has  been  studied  because  its  presence 
has  so  bad  an  effect  on  plants.  It  destroys  the  chlo- 
ropliyl,  disturbs  the  balance  of  other  elements,  especially 
decreasing  the  assimilation  of  phosphoric  acid,  inter- 
feres with  formation  of  protoplasm,  etc.  This  is  fully 
explained  in  Bulletin  No.  26,  Hawaii  Agricultural  Ex- 
periment Station:  "The  Function  and  Distribution  of 
Manganese  in  Plants  and  Soils."  This  bulletin  can  be 
obtained  from  United  States  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  but  I  can  assure  all  that  they  need  neither 
endeavor  to  build  up  the  manganese  content  of  their 
soil  nor  fear  they  will  get  too  much  manganese  here  in 
Florida. 

Fads  come  and  go, — only  our  real  needs  endure.     A 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  45 

few  years  ago  there  was  much  talk  about  iron;  now  it 
is  scarcely  mentioned,  but  some  of  us  are  almost  won- 
dering how  we  ever  grew  any  crops  at  all  when  so  igno- 
rant of  magnesia  and  manganese !  The  fact  is,  we  do 
not  want  manganese,  and  though  our  soils  are  low  in 
both  lime  and  magnesia  content,  the  low-grade  sulphate 
of  potash  which  carries  two-thirds  as  much  sulphate  of 
magnesia  as  sulphate  of  potash,  has  supplied  any  needed 
magnesia,  while  the  sulphate  of  lime  in  superphosphate 
and  dissolved  boneback  has  kept  up  the  proper  ratio 
of  lime  for  plant  food.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  lime 
for  this  purpose  be  basic.  Properly  mixed  formulas 
supply  all  such  needs.  When  people  study  the  sub- 
ject thoroughly  they  appreciate  what  one  man  said : 
"The  man  who  knows  enough  to  mix  his  own  formulas 
knows  enough  not  to." 

Common  Sense  is  as  effective  in  the  field  as  in  the 
home.  Nature  furnishes  easy  ways  to  preserve  her  bal- 
ance and  it  is  only  when  man  interferes  too  much  that 
trouble  comes.  Did  our  plants  have  to  depend  upon  our 
supplying  the  exact  amounts  of  everything  necessary, 
they  would  be  in  as  bad  a  fix  as  the  people  who  continu- 
ally try  so-called  scientific  diets. 

Practice  has  shown  that  on  our  table  we  should  have 
reasonable  proportions  of  meat  and  vegetables,  sweets 
and  fats,  and  that  in  our  fields,  crops  prosper  when 
available  ammonia,  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  are  added 
in  proper  proportions.  In  the  carriers  of  these  essen- 
tials and  in  the  air  and  the  soil  are  all  other  essentials, 


46  WILSON'  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

and  the  protoplasm,  that  living  substance  within  the  cell 
walls,  is  going  to  use  them  as  the  need  occurs.  The 
grower  sometimes  rebels  at  getting  only  (for  instance) 
sixteen  pounds  of  plant  food  in  a  hundred  pounds  of 
material,  but  often  in  that  other  eighty-four  pounds  lie 
gets  the  very  thing  that  he  would  have.missed  applying 
had  it  all  been  left  to  him,  and  perhaps  it  is  a  most 
important  factor  in  his  success.  What  is,  is  generally 
about  right.  Only  a  few  of  us  could  really  improve  ( ?) 
upon  conditions  were  they  all  within  our  control. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  47 


Chapter  IX 

Fertilizer  Materials 

Peruvian  Guano  carries  ammonia,  phosphoric  acid, 
potash,  and  lime,  which  are  readily  but  gradually  avail- 
able. It  is  of  organic  origin  but  so  old  and  thoroughly 
decomposed  it  forms  no  acid  by-products.  It  is  a  great 
soil  builder  and  a  valuable  material  for  the  use  of 
those  who  want  untreated  materials  of  alkaline  ten- 
dency. Peruvian  guano  carries  about  fourteen  per  cent, 
lime,  which  is  soon  left  basic,  being  in  organic  com- 
pounds. 

Sulphate  of  Ammonia  is  inorganic.  It  is  the  best 
gradually  available  source  of  ammonia  the  citrus  grower 
has  at  his  command,  and  is  equally  valuable  to  truckers 
and  other  users  of  fertilizer  as  a  source  between  nitrates 
and  organic  matter.  It  tends  to  soil  acidity,  which  can 
be  corrected  by  using  lime.  As  sulphate  of  ammonia  is 
used  in  mixed  formulas,  its  acid  tendency  is  balanced 
by  the  alkaline  tendency  of  nitrate  of  soda. 

Nitrate  of  Soda  is  inorganic,  carrying  ammonia  in  a 
form  available  to  plants,  therefore  is  ready  as  soon  as 
it  is  dissolved.  It  dissolves  in  an  equal  part  of  water, 
thus  will  be  active  when  no  other  fertilizer  material 
could  reach  the  plant.  It  has  an  alkaline  tendency. 
Loss  of  nitrates  is  serious  unless  there  is  such  supply 
as  to  allow  the  plant  to  use  them  before  they  sink  be- 
yond reach  of  the  roots.  This  leaching  is  not  so  rapid 


48  WILSON  &  TOOMKR   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

in  clay  lands,  but  where  the  entire  ammonia  content  of 
fertilizer  used  on  clay  is  derived  from  nitrate  of  soda 
the  accumulations  of  sodium  will  be  enough  to  pack  the 
soil.  Keasonable  amounts  have  no  deleterious  effects, 
and  such  results  never  occur  on  open  lands  because 
sodium  compounds  leach  away  so  rapidly. 

Nitrate  of  Potash  is  organic.  The  nitrate  has  the 
same  properties  as  described  in  nitrate  of  soda,  and 
the  potash  the  same  as  will  be  shown  under  sulphate 
of  potash,  but  this  material  does  not  dissolve  quite  as 
readily  as  nitrate  of  soda.  As  plants  use  both  elements, 
nitrate  of  potash  is  a  neutral  compound  in  its  action. 
It  is  used  in  many  manufactures  and  its  market  price 
is  far  in  advance  of  its  true  worth  to  the  grower. 

Cyanamid  is  often  called  lime  nitrogen.  It  is  inor- 
ganic. Its  plant  food  is  in  the  form  of  nitrogen  and 
must  be  changed  to  ammonia  and  then  to  nitrates  be- 
fore it  becomes  available  to  the  plant.  The  other  part 
consists  largely  of  lime  and  carbon  and  of  some  com- 
pounds of  iron,  silicon,  etc.  Some  cyanamids  have  a 
nitrate  mixed  with  them  to  furnish  plant  food  wrhile 
the  slower  cyanamid  is  coming  into  availability. 

Calcium  Nitrate,  like  cyanamid,  is  a  combination  of 
air  nitrogen  with  lime,  but  in  this  instance  the  nitrogen 
is  in  the  form  of  nitrate  and  therefore  an  immediate 
plant  food.  Calcium  nitrate,  often  called  lime  nitrate, 
is  so  soluble  it  becomes  liquid  when  exposed  to  moist  air. 
This  is,  in  a  measure,  prevented  by  adding  lime  to  a 
hot  solution  of  calcium  nitrate,  making  "basic  calcium 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  49 

nitrate/7  carrying  only  about  12  per  cent,  ammonia  in- 
stead of  the  15  to  17  per  cent,  as  in  the  commercially 
pure  calcium  nitrate.  In  both  cyanamid  and  calcium  ni- 
trate the  acid  radical  is  used  by  the  plant  and  the  lime 
left  as  a  neutralizer. 

Dried  Blood  is  organic — a  packing  house  by-product. 
It  carries  its  ammonia  in  form  of  nitrogen,  but  the  ma- 
terial is  so  finely  divided  and  so  congenial  to  bacteria  it 
becomes  available  fully  as  soon  as  sulphate  of  ammonia. 
All  organic  sources  are  soil  builders,  but  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Peruvian  guano  and  tobacco  stems,  they  are  at- 
tended with  more  or  less  acidity, — animal  products  less 
than  vegetable  matter,  and  dried  blood  least  of  all  animal 
products. 

Tankage  is  organic, — a  packing  house  by-product, 
carrying  both  ammonia  and  phosphoric  acid.  Its  am- 
monia is  in  form  of  nitrogen  and  is  a  little  more  slowly 
available  than  sulphate  of  ammonia.  This  is  a  valuable 
material  for  use  in  mixed  formulas  with  nitrate  of  soda 
and  sulphate  of  ammonia.  About  half  its  phosphoric  acid 
is  available  when  applied,  and  the  rest  soon  comes  into 
availability  through  the  decomposition  of  organic  matter. 
There  are,  ordinarily,  at  least  three  grades  of  tankage 
on  the  market,  some  carrying  more  actual  plant  food  than 
the  others,  but  every  particle  of  tankage  is  of  value  to 
the  grower  as  a  soil  builder.  See  Dried  Blood  as  to  acid 
tendency. 

Ground  Fish  Scrap  is  organic.  It  carries  ammonia 
and  phosphoric  acid  in  same  form  as  tankage.  It  should 


50  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

never  be  vised  in  the  orange  grove.  It  is  a  fine  fertilizer 
for  vegetables  but  greatly  induces  cutworms. 

Sheep  Manure  is  organic,  and  carries  most  of  its  am- 
monia in  the  form  of  nitrogen/  It  has  much  the  same 
effect  on  soil  as  stable  manure  with  two  exceptions :  It 
has  been  sterilized,  therefore  carries  no  weed  seeds  or 
germs  of  fungous  or  bacterial  diseases,  and  is  repulsive 
to  soil  insects  instead  of  attractive  to  them. 

Ground  Bone,  Raw  or  Steamed,  is  organic  and  carries 
ammonia  and  phosphoric  acid.  The  ammonia  is  in  form 
of  nitrogen.  About  one-third  of  the  phosphoric  acid  is 
available  at  time  of  application,  but  the  rest  becomes 
available  gradually  as  the  organic  matter  decomposes. 
Bone  tends  to  sweeten  land. 

Pulverized  Tobacco  Stems  though  from  vegetable 
source,  are  so  dry  and  of  such  nature  as  to  produce  no 
fermentation  during  decomposition.  They  carry  am- 
monia and  potash  in  vegetable  compounds  that  are 
especially  pleasing  to  plant  life.  The  nicotine  content 
makes  this  material  distasteful  to  worms,  but  only  in 
quite  liberal  applications  will  this  be  strong  enough  for 
practical  results.  Their  high  cost  is  the  great  drawback 
to  extensive  use. 

Cotton  Seed  Meal  is  organic,  carrying  ammonia  in  the 
form  of  nitrogen.  It  is  a  fine  fertilizer  on  cold  wet  lands, 
as  its  decomposition  is  attended  by  so  much  heat.  For 
this  same  reason  it  burns  crops  on  lighter,  drier  soil.  It 
has  a  tendency  toward  producing  coarse  fibrous  vegeta- 
tion and  a  strong  attraction  for  soil  insects.  Cotton  seed 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  51 

meal  is  expensive  compared  with  other  fertilizer  mate- 
rials and  really  should  be  used  for  stock  feed,  as  about 
ninety  per  cent,  of  its  fertilizing  value  will  be  found  in 
the  manure, — that  is,  if  the  manure  is  properly  saved. 

Castor  Meal  is  organic,  carrying  ammonia  in  form  of 
nitrogen.  It  has  practically  the  same  availability  and 
value  as  a  soil  builder  as  cotton  seed  meal  but  is  not  so 
burning  and  is  repulsive  to  insects,  therefore  is  to  be 
preferred  as  a  fertilizer  material. 

Dissolved  Bone  Black — Though  this  material  was  once 
bone,  the  organic  matter  has  been  entirely  burned  out 
and  it  is  a  strictly  inorganic  fertilizer.  It  is  the  same 
as  superphosphate  except  it  carries  no  iron  and  alum- 
inum. 

Superphosphate  carries  phosphoric  acid  in  water  solu- 
ble form,  which  is  immediately  fixed  by  chemical  reac- 
tion, though  still  perfectly  available  to  plants.  When  the 
phosphoric  acid  is  used  by  a  plant  the  lime  combined 
with  it  is  left  to  sweeten  the  soil.  This  amounts  to  about 
six  per  cent.,  but  about  sixteen  per  cent,  more  lime,  is 
in  the  sulphate  of  lime  intermingled  with  the  phosphate. 
This  sulphate  of  lime  acts  neither  as  base  nor  plant 
food,  but  brings  latent  plant  food,  especially  potash, 
into  availability.  The  lime  in  the  sulphate  also  acts  in 
preserving  the  two  to  one  ratio  between  lime  and  mag- 
nesia. With  the  phosphate  and  sulphate  of  lime  there 
about  one-and-a-half  per  cent,  iron  and  aluminum 
which  are  neither  beneficial  nor  detrimental.  Superphos- 
phate is  the  most  economical  source  of  phosphoric  acid 


52  WILSON  &  TOOMER    FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

at  the  growers'  command.  It  furnishes  phosphoric  acid 
in  a  certainly  available  form  and  has  no  deleterious 
effects.  This  statement  is  backed  by  scientists.  It 
really  would  be  well  for  growers  to  recognize  the  value 
of  their  own  state  product  rather  than  to  be  led  by 
interested  people  to  lay  to  this  material  ills  that  be- 
fall their  groves.  It  has  been  seen  the  phosphate  has 
a  slight  sweetening  tendency,  and  the  only  way  sul- 
phate of  lime  has  an  acid  tendency  is  by  combining 
with  soil  compounds  to  form  sulphate  of  potash.  When 
the  plant  uses  the  potash  the  sulphuric  radical  is  left 
to  unite  with  another  base.  This  is  easily  supplied 
by  crushed  limestone  for  less  than  a  twenty-fifth  of 
what  the  potash  would  cost.  I  have  previously  ex- 
plained that  were  this  base  not  supplied  the  sulphuric 
radical  would  take  the  base  from  weaker  acids  and  the 
resulting  acidity  would  not  be  free  sulphuric  acid.  I 
have  gone  into  detail  about  superphosphate  because  there 
is  so  much  wrong  information  being  circulated. 

Thomas  Phosphate  Powder  (Basic  Slag)  is  inorganic, 
carrying  phosphoric  acid,  about  one-third  of  which  is 
available  though  not  water  soluble.  The  rest  of  the  phos- 
phoric acid  may  become  available  if  the  soil  is  acid  or 
very  rich  in  humus.  There  is  about  thirty  to  thirty-five 
per  cent,  of  calcium,  most  of  which  is  combined  with 
phosphoric  acid  and  silica.  This  will  act  with  mag- 
nesia, but  less  than  five  per  cent,  is  basic  lime  until  the 
phosphoric  acid  is  used  by  the  plant.  The  iron  content, 
as  showrn  above,  is  of  no  value.  The  magnesia  would  be 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  53 

of  slight  value  were  this  element  not  fully  supplied  by 
the  low  grade  sulphate  of  potash,  and  the  manganese 
would  be  harmful  were  there  enough  to  make  any  dif- 
ference, but  there  is  not,  so  the  buyer  can  be  assured  that 
none  of  these  elements  are  going  to  hurt  or  benefit  him 
and  reckon  the  phosphate  powder  worth  just  what  its 
content  of  phosphoric  acid  and  lime  is  worth  to  him.  Be- 
ing inorganic  this  material  is  not  a  soil  builder.  It  has 
an  alkaline  tendency. 

High  Grade  Sulphate  of  Potash  is  inorganic,  carrying 
water  soluble  potash  which  is  immediately  fixed  in  the 
soil  in  form  available  to  plants.  When  the  potash  is  used 
by  the  plant  the  sulphuric  radical  is  left  to  seek  another 
base.  Sulphate  of  potash  is  practically  the  only  source 
of  potash  at  the  citrus  growers'  command,  but  few  for- 
mulas derive  their  entire  potash  content  from  the  high 
grade. 

Low  Grade  Sulphate  of  Potash — Since  several  have 
written  to  ask,  it  may  be  well  to  state  that  "double  sul- 
phate of  potash  magnesia77  is  simply  another  name  for 
our  old  friend  low  grade  sulphate  of  potash,  which  is  the 
standard  source  of  potash  supply.  This  material  carries 
about  half  as  much  sulphate  of  potash  as  the  high  grade, 
and  has  about  thirty-four  per  cent,  sulphate  of  magnesia, 
which  was  taken  up  under  Fads. 

Muriate  of  Potash  and  Kainit  carry  potash  in  water 
soluble  form  but  have  a  high  content  of  chlorine.  Citrus 
trees  are  sensitive  to  the  ill  effects  of  chlorine.  Vegeta- 
bles generally  are  not.  Chlorine  is  repulsive  to  soil  in- 


54  WILSON  &  TOOMKIl    FKKTILIZER   COMPANY 

sects.     About  one-third  of  kainit  is  common  salt,  hence 
its  burning  properties. 

Canada  Hardwood  Ashes  carry  a  small  content  of  pot- 
ash in  most  desirable  form,  and  about  33^  per  cent,  basic 
lime.  They  are  expensive  as  a  source  of  plant  food  and 
neutralizer,  but  owing  to  their  physical  form  often  have 
a  peculiar  and  beneficial  effect  on  the  soil.  At  times  noth- 
ing else  will  quite  take  the  place  of  ashes. 

Land  Plaster  or  Gypsum — This  is  sulphate  of  lime, 
which  is  fully  described  under  Superphosphate. 

Acid  in  Fertilizers — Several  letters  have  come  to  me 
asking  if  it  is  true  that  "ordinary  fertilizers  contain  from 
100  to  150  pounds  of  free  acid  in  a  ton."  For  the  benefit 
of  those  who  have  not  written,  I  will  say,  no  chemist 
wrould  uphold  such  statement.  Fertilizers  are  either  neu- 
tral or  practically  neutral  when  applied,  and  have  acid 
or  alkaline  tendencies  according  to  the  portion — base  or 
radical — used  by  the  plant.  Often  the  alkaline  tendency 
of  one  material  balances  the  acid  tendency  of  another 
in  a  formula,  some  formulas  being  quite  alkaline  in  their 
general  effects.  It  is  true  that  practically  our  only 
source  of  potash  and  only  slow-acting  source  of  ammonia 
for  citrus  trees  have  acid  tendencies,  but  since  this  can 
be  easily  and  cheaply  counter-balanced  by  limestone,  we 
need  feel  no  concern.  We  also  may  bear  in  mind  that 
most  of  our  soils  w^ere  acid  before  they  ever  had  a  pound 
of  fertilizer,  while  as  to  the  fertilizer, — did  it  contain 
free  sulphuric  acid,  the  bags,  tools,  and  hands  of  the 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  55 

user  would  all  be  eaten  as  only  glass  and  lead  can  with- 
stand its  attacks. 

What  Makes  Soil  Acid?  This  could  be  answered  in 
three  words, — Lack  of  Lime, — for  there  is  no  form  of 
acidity  that  would  not  be  corrected  by  the  presence  of 
basic  lime;  but  a  list  of  acid-producing  causes  will  not 
be  out  of  place: 

Decaying  of  roots  left  when  clearing  away  virgin 
growth. 

Lack  of  drainage. 

Turning  under  of  green  vegetation. 

Cultivating  land  when  too  wet,  especially  in  hot 
weather. 

Burning  sun  on  bare,  moist  soil. 

Natural  leaching  away  of  the  small  lime  content  com= 
mon  to  most  Florida  soils. 

Leaching — "Ammonia"  leaches  away  as  soon  as  it  be- 
comes actual  plant  food  unless  used  by  plants,  but  the 
loss  of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  is  insignificant.  Lime, 
sodium,  and  magnesia  all  leach  away  rapidly. 


56  WILSON  &  TOOMKK   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

Chapter  X 

Plant  Constituents 

Plants  of  all  kinds,  whether  garden  vegetables  or  fruit 
trees,. are  alike  in  their  constituents  and  mode  of  growth. 
Though  other  elements  are  shown  by  chemical  analyses, 
the  essentials  for  plant  growth  have  been  found  to  be 
oxygen,  hydrogen,  nitrogen,  carbon,  phosphorus,  sulphur, 
potassium,  calcium,  iron,  and  magnesium;  or,  as  Brooks 
puts  it :  -"Air  to  breathe  and  water  to  drink ;  four  acids,— 
carbonic,  nitric,  phosphoric,  and  sulphuric;  and  four 
bases, — potash,  lime,  iron,  and  magnesia." 

Air 

Oxygen — The  plant  uses  oxygen  in  two  forms:  Com- 
bined oxygen  which  enters  the  plant  through  the  roots  in 
connection  \vith  other  elements  which  are  used  in  the 
form  of  oxides  and  the  free  oxygen  of  the  air.  This  latter 
is  absorbed  by  all  living  plant  surfaces,  but  more  abun- 
dantly by  leaves  and  tender  growing  parts.  Free  oxygen 
in  the  soil  is  essential  to  plant  life  (except  swamp  vegeta- 
tion) :  Germinating  seeds  require  an  abundance  and 
when  roots  are  deprived  of  air  the  plants  soon  suffocate 
and  die.  The  absorption  of  oxygen  is  accompanied  by  a 
giving  off  of  carbonic  acid  gas — a  product  of  the  breaking 
down  of  living  matter  worn  out  by  the  "energy  of  grow- 
ing" and  of  parts  going  to  decay,  as  in  injured  tissues  or 
faded  flowers.  This  process  is  called  "respiration." 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  57 

Carbonic  Acid  Gas — -Carbon  is  the  element  which  is 
most  abundant  in  the  dry  matter  of  vegetation,  its 
amount  being  about  equal  to  all  others  combined.  Though 
carbon  dioxid  exists  in  great  quantities  in  all  fertile  soils 
and  has  a  far-reaching  influence  on  fertility,  the  carbon 
used  by  plants  is  taken  from  the  carbonic  acid  gas  of  the 
air.  This  is  absorbed  by  the  leaves  and  other  green  tissues 
and  through  the  action  of  the  green  matter  (chlorophyl) 
under  the  influence  of  sunlight  is  combined  with  the 
hydrogen  and  oxygen  of  water  to  make  starch,  sugar, 
acids,  oils,  gums,  etc.,  and  cellulose — the  substance  in  cell 
walls.  This  process  of  the  formation  of  plant  food  from 
carbon  dioxid  and  water  and  the  throwing  off  of  the  un- 
used oxygen  is  called  "photosynthesis."  It  is  the  reverse 
of  respiration,  and  since  the  plant's  activities  are  much 
greater  in  photosynthesis  than  in  respiration,  vegetation 
removes  from  the  air  far  more  carbon  dioxid  than  it 
gives  off,  and  gives  off  far  more  oxygen  than  it  uses, 
thereby  purifying  the  air  for  animal  life,  which,  on  the 
contrary,  uses  oxygen  in  great  quantities  and  gives  off 
carbonic  acid  gas. 


Water 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  elements  of  water  play  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  formal  ion  of  different  vegetable  com- 
pounds, but  the  uncombined  water  in  plants  is  equally 
important.  The  rigidity  of  tender  vegelalion  is  due  to 


58  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

its  water  content.  Cut  a  succulent  branch,  and  how  soon 
it  becomes  limp  and  wilted !  Plants  cannot  carry  on  the 
process  of  growing  without  sufficient  water  content,  as 
all  cells  must  be  properly  extended,  and,  too,  water  must 
be  the  carrier  of  all  substances  within  the  plant. 

How  Plants  Feed — There  are  no  openings  into  the 
roots,  nor  from  cell  to  cell ;  all  plant  food,  whether  in 
raw  or  digested  state,  being  moved  in  solution  by  osmosis 
and  diffusion.  Osmosis  means  the  passing  of  liquids  or 
gases  through  a  membrane  in  accordance  to  Nature's  law 
that  the  density  of  the  divided  substances  be  equalized. 
Diffusion  means  the  "spreading  out"  of  each  particular 
substance  in  solution  to  make  the  solution  of  that  sub- 
stance of  equal  strength  throughout.  Much  has  been  said 
about  the  plant's  "power  to  select,"  but  the  best  author- 
ities now  agree  in  the  opinion  that  roots  have  no  power 
to  reject  anything  dissolved  in  the  soil  water,  regardless 
of  how  harmful  it  may  be  to  the  plant.  However,  plants 
grow  according  to  definite  law,  each  plant  developing 
along  the  lines  of  its  own  particular  family.  Soil  solu- 
tions are  very  dilute.  Normally,  the  plant  sap  is  denser 
than  the  soil  water,  though  the  sap  seldom  is  heavier 
than  one  pound  of  solid  matter  to  sixty  gallons  of  water. 
While  osmosis  causes  the  more  dilute  solution  to  move  to 
the  denser  one,  diffusion  tends  to  equalize  throughout  the 
solution  the  amount  of  each  substance  dissolved.  The 
leaves  (and  in  a  lesser  degree  all  live  plant  surfaces)  are 
constantly  giving  off  water — a  process  similar  to  evapora- 
tion, but  called  "transpiration."  This  tends  to  concen- 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  59 

trate  the  sap  in  these  areas,  therefore,  the  osmotic  move- 
ment is  (under  normal  conditions)  ever  upward.  Plants 
vary,  but  it  is  estimated  that  they  average  to  lift  three 
hundred  twenty-five  pounds  water  for  every  pound  of 
dry  matter  grown.  Now,  since  the  soil  water  must 
enter  the  plants  with  its  varied  solutions,  it  would 
seem  that  there  were  danger  of  harmful  accumulation 
of  matter  not  used  by  the  plant,  but  here  is  where  diffu- 
sion comes  to  the  rescue.  I  will  quote  from  King :  "The 
loss  of  water  by  evaporation  through  the  surface  of  the 
plant  or  the  consumption  of  it  as  food,  which  tends  to 
make  the  strength  of  the  solution  of  those  substances  not 
used  as  food  stronger,  cannot  result  in  a  permanent  in- 
crease of  them  in  the  plant,  because,  unless  these  sub- 
stances are  actually  taken  out  of  solution,  they  travel 
back  toward  the  roots  again  and  escape  into  the  soil 
water  so  long  as  the  solution  inside  is  stronger  than  is 
that  outside." 

Perhaps  further  distinction  should  be  made  between 
plants  using  and  needing  different  elements.  Certain 
elements  named  under  the  heading  "Plant  Constituents" 
are  needed  because  the  plant  cannot  grow  without  them. 
Other  elements — chlorine,  silicon  and  sodium,  the  first 
two  forming  acids  and  the  last  being  a  base — are  in- 
variably found  in  plants  grown  under  normal  conditions ; 
and  still  other  elements  such  as  manganese  sometimes 
occur.  These  last  elements  are  used  but  are  not  needed, 
as  the  plant  could  grow  equally  well  without  them. 


60  WILSON  &  TOOMKU    FKKTILIZKU   COMPANY 

The  Plant 

In  the  foregoing  the  plant  has  appeared  largely  as  a 
lay  figure  subject  to  mechanical  law,  but  we  must  realize 
that  this  is  true  only  to  a  certain  extent.  Life  is  some- 
thing none  of  us  can  define,  but  it  exists  as  truly  in  the 
vegetable  as  in  the  animal  kingdom,  and  we  will  find  not 
only  family  but  individual  characteristics.  The  grower 
is  not  all-powerful,  but  by  studying  these  characteristics 
and  developing  the  good,  strengthening  the  weak,  and 
repressing  the  bad,  he  can  accomplish  much  toward  bring- 
ing about  ideal  results. 

Plants  consist  of  three  distinct  parts :  roots,  stem,  and 
leaves. 

Stem — The  stem  is  principally  a  connecting  link  be- 
tween the  roots  and  the  leaves,  and  a  frame  work  upon 
which  the  leaves  are  displayed  to  air  and  sunlight;  but 
more  or  less  respiration  and  transpiration  is  going  on 
and  the  surface  should  be  kept  clean  of  either  vegetable 
or  animal  parasites  that  clog  the  pores  (lenticels)  inter- 
fering with  proper  functioning  as  Avell  as  actually  ab- 
stracting support  from  the  tissues  of  the  host. 

Roots— While  the  stem  grows  in  all  its  parts,  roots 
lengthen  in  only  a  small^area  just  behind  the  little  hard 
cap  which  protects  the  point.  It  is  only  in  this  new  area 
that  osmosis  occurs,  for  the  tissues  soon  become  clogged. 
The  plant  develops  these  feeding  roots  where  moisture 
and  food  are  to  be  found.  When  it  is  growing  rapidly  they 
are  more  numerous  and  the  feeding  surfaces  are  vastly 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  61 

increased  by  a  growth  of  delicate  root  hairs.  Generally 
speaking,  a  cutting  or  tearing  of  the  roots  works  great 
damage  to  the  plant,  and  every  effort  the  plant  has  to 
make  to  push  its  root  through  compacted  infertile  soil 
in  search  of  sustenance  takes  just  so  much  from  the  net 
profit.  For  best  results  the  soil  must  allow  free  root 
movement  and  provide  the  needed  air  and  water.  Koots 
take  in  free  oxygen  and  give  oif  carbonic  acid  gas.  This 
carbonic  acid  gas  is  absorbed  by  the  film  of  water 
around  the^  adjoining  soil  grain.  The  water  thus  charged 
has  great  solvent  powers  and  much  natural  plant  food  is 
in  this  way  brought  into  availability.  A  deep,  wide  root 
system  is  of  untold  benefit  to  a  plant  as  it  gives  so  large 
an  area  from  which  to  absorb  water  and  with  it  the  nour- 
ishment held  in  solution.  To  secure  such  a  root  system, 
put  the  soil  in  good  mechanical  condition,  spread  the  ap- 
plied plant  food  in  a  circle  reaching  from  not  too  near 
the  stem  out  a  little  beyond  the  outermost  branches  and 
while  the  plant  is  young  cultivate  deep  enough  to  pre- 
vent the  establishment  of  surface  roots. 

Leaves — The  leaves  are  both  the  stomach  and  the  lungs 
of  a  plant.  Their  digestive  powers  depend  upon  the  green 
coloring  matter.  Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed 
upon  the  importance  of  leaves  being  in  good  condition. 
Some  crops  require  less  foliage  than  others,  but  no  crop 
reaches  the  maximum  when  its  leaves  are  covered  with 
parasites  or  are  pale  from  starvation  or  because  of  physi- 
ological disturbances. 

Protoplasm — All  parts  of  the  plant  are  made  up  of 


62  WILSON  &   TOOMKR   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

cells.  These  cells  are  of  different  sizes  and  shapes  accord- 
ing to  the  work  they  have  to  do.  They  consist  of  the 
cell  wall,  in  which  is  the  protoplasm,  a  semi-liquid  jelly- 
like  substance  surrounded  by  a  thin,  strong  elastic  mem- 
brane. This  protoplasm  is  the  living  substance  of  the 
plant.  In  it  the  chemical  changes  take  place — the  break- 
ing down  of  different  compounds ;  the  formation  of  vari- 
ous vegetable  substances, — starch,  sugar,  etc. ;  and  the 
use  of  these  substances  to  the  plant's  best  advantage. 
The  work  within  the  plant  is  very  intricate  and  is  not 
thoroughly  understood  by  anyone,  but  it  will  serve  our 
purpose  to  consider  that  the  soil  water  enters  the  roots, 
rises  to  the  leaves  where  it  is  elaborated  (digested),  and 
returns  by  way  of  the  inner  bark  to  the  different  parts  of 
the  plant  where  it  is  needed. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  63 

Chapter  XI 

Fertility 

Perhaps  the  most  important  lesson  for  the  prospective 
grower  to  learn  is  that  fertile  soil  is  not  an  inert  mass 
but,  instead,  is  teeming  with  living  organisms  too  small 
to  be  seen  with  the  unaided  eye  but  of  inestimable  value. 
Then  he  must  also  learn  that  there  are  other  organisms 
just  as  ready  and  powerful  to  work  against  him  if  soil 
conditions  are  allowed  which  are  favorable  to  their  de- 
velopment. These  micro-organisms  (called  "micro"  be- 
cause they  are  seen  only  through  microscopes)  are  in- 
numerable forms  of  both  vegetable  and  animal  life,— 
bacteria,  fungi,  etc. — the  bacteria  having  by  far  the  great- 
est influence  on  agricultural  conditions. 

Bacteria 

Lipman  says :  "In  agriculture,  the  development  of  bac- 
teriology has  given  us  a  new  insight  into  the  nature  of 
soil  fertility.  We  have  learned  to  regard  the  soil  as  a 
culture  medium  with  its  almost  endless  number  of  species 
and  varieties  of  bacteria,  specialized  to  do  important 
work  in  the  transformation  of  soil  nitrogen,  carbon,  hy- 
drogen, and  sulphur ;  in  the  transformation,  also,  of  com- 
pounds containing  lime,  magnesia,  phosphoric  acid  and 
potash.  We  have  learned  to  reckon  with  these  organisms 
in  our  methods  of  soil  improvement,  and  have  made  some 
progress  toward  successful  systems  of  soil  inoculation." 

Bacteria  are  the  simplest  and  smallest  forms  of  vegeta- 


64  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

tion,  being  one-celled  plants  and  so  tiny  25,000  could  be 
placed  side  by  side  in  a  line  an  inch  long.  However,  the 
multiplication  of  bacteria  under  favorable  conditions  is 
beyond  our  conception,  and  what  they  lack  in  size  is  made 
up  in  numbers.  Favorable  conditions  for  the  develop- 
ment of  one  form  of  bacteria  may  be  most  unfavorable 
for  another;  the  most  noticeable  distinction  being  that 
some  (aerobic)  require  an  abundant  supply  of  air, 
while  others  (anaerobic)  flourish  where  the  circulation 
of  air  is  limited.  Certain  conditions  are  unfavorable  to 
all  bacteria:  dry  sandy  soils  lacking  in  humus  contain 
very  few;  pure  clay  soils  are  equally  barren;  and  also 
any  soil  that  is  filled  with  stagnant  water  or  that  is 
strongly  acid.  Many  bacteria  are  killed  by  drying, 
while  others  only  remain  dormant.  It  has  been  found 
that  in  the  decomposition  of  vegetable  matter  there  is 
very  little  bacterial  action  when  the  moisture  drops  below 
twent^^-five  per  cent. 

Bacteria,  like  root  hairs,  take  food  by  absorption 
through  the  cell  Avails,  therefore,  only  dissolved  sub- 
stances can  be  used.  To  aid  in  this  solution  the  bacteria 
give  off  secretions  called  "enzymes."  Enzymes  are 
strictly  chemical  substances  which  break  down  organic 
compounds  but  do  not  enter  into  combination.  Organic 
matter  is  complex  and  the  various  changes  are  not  fully 
understood,  but  either  the  enzymes  themselves  or  the  com- 
pounds they  induce,  or  perhaps  both,  are  under  some  cir- 
cumstances "highly  useful,"  but  under  others  they  are 
"intensely  poisonous"  because  conditions  govern  the 


IDEA!-   FERTILIZERS  65 

kinds  of  bacteria  present.  When  green  vegetation  is 
turned  under  or  a  soil  is  saturated  with  water,  "putrefac- 
tion" and  its  poisonous  products  occur  in  place  of  the 
"decomposition"  which  attends  dead  vegetation  in  an 
aerated  soil.  However,  there  are  some  forms  of  organic 
matter,  which,  under  the  most  favorable  conditions,  pro- 
duce enough  of  these  poisons  to  affect  citrus  trees  seri- 
ously, for  the  citrus  family  is  especially  sensitive  to  the 
action  of  such  compounds. 

Ammonifying  Bacteria — The  change  from  organic  ni- 
trogen to  ammonia  "is  accomplished  by  many  kinds  of 
bacteria,  .  .  .  some  of  them  are  aerobic,  others  an- 
aerobic. .  .  .  The  formation  of  ammonia  from  or- 
ganic nitrogen  compounds  in  soils  depends  upon  a  variety 
of  conditions,  such  as  the  kind  of  protein,  the  kind  of 
soil  bacteria,  and  all  the  physical  and  chemical  condi- 
tions that  modify  or  influence  their  activity."  It  is 
during  these  processes  that  the  above-mentioned  enzymes 
and  their  products  occur. 

Nitrifying  Bacteria — Though  the  change  from  organic 
nitrogen  to  ammonia  is  so  varied  and  complex,  "the 
conversion  of  ammonia  into  nitric  acid  takes  place  as  the 
result  of  two  distinct  bacterial  chemical  operations,  one 
kind  of  bacteria  being  responsible  for  the  first  operation 
and  another  for  the  second;"  these  two  chemical  opera- 
tions being  the  change  of  ammonia  into  nitrous  acid  and 
of  the  nitrous  acid  into  nitric  acid,  in  each  instance  by 
an  addition  of  oxygen.  These  acids  are  immediately  neu- 
tralized when  there  is  free  base  present.  If  such  base  is 


Q6  WILSON  &  TOOMKR    FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

not  at  hand  the  nitrifying  bacteria  will  soon  be  killed  by 
their  own  product.  Van  Slyke  says:  "Each  pound  of 
nitric  acid  formed,  calls  for  nearly  a  pound  of  calcium 
carbonate."  "Nitrification  cannot  .  .  .  take  place 
in  acid  or  sour  soils.  In  order  that  there  may  be  no 
accumulation  of  free  nitric  or  other  acids  in  soils,  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  that  there  shall  be  an  abundance 
of  some  basic  compound  wrhich  can  unite  with  the  free 
acids  and  form  salts  that  do  not  act  injuriously  on 
nitrifying  organisms." 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  change  from  ammonia  to 
nitrous  and  nitric  acids  consists  of  combining  oxygen 
with  the  nitrogen,  hence  it  is  evident  that  the  nitrifying 
bacteria  must  have  an  abundance  of  air.  "Water-satu- 
rated soils  prevent  nitrification  by  shutting  off  the  air. 
Limited  air  supply  is  one  of  the  important  factors  which 
explains  the  slow  nitrification  on  heavy  sod  land  and 
in  clay  soils."  Temperature  also  affects  bacterial  ac- 
tivity. Crops  start  earlier  on  open,  well-drained  soil, 
especially  if  they  have  a  southerly  slope,  because  of  the 
warmth  inducing  a  more  rapid  formation  of  nitrates. 

Denitrifying  Bacteria — These  are  the  enemies  which 
flourish  when  by  ill-advised  cultivation  we  have  dis- 
couraged the  presence  of  the  nitrifying  bacteria.  Nitri- 
fying bacteria  can  take  oxygen  only  from  the  air,  but 
denitrifying  bacteria  can  break  down  nitrogen  com- 
pounds to  secure  the  oxygen  needed  for  their  develop- 
ment. They  change  nitrates  to  nitrites,  then  nitrites  to 
free  nitrogen  wrhich  escapes  into  the  air  and  leaves  the 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  67 

soil  impoverished  to  the  extent  of  these  operations. 
Some  people,  knowing  their  soil  is  too  wet  to  permit  ni- 
trification, apply  nitrate  of  soda.  Such  application  is 
of  benefit,  for  the  plants  get  part  of  the  nitrates,  but  there 
is  such  a  substantial  loss  through  denitrification  the 
grower  will  find  it  far  more  profitable  to  secure  good 
drainage  and  keep  his  land  in  proper  condition.  Denitri- 
fication takes  place  also  when  a  large  amount  of  green 
vegetation  is  plowed  under.  By  such  course,  fertility  is 
lost  instead  of  gained. 

Fixation  of  Atmospheric  Nitrogen — Another  class  of 
friendly  organisms  are  the  nitrogen-fixing  bacteria.  The 
ammonifying  and  nitrifying  bacteria,  though  most  valu- 
able in  changing  nitrogen  to  available  form,  do  not  in- 
crease the  soil  content  of  nitrogen.  These  little  friends, 
the  nitrogen-fixing  bacteria,  take  free  nitrogen  from  the 
air  and  convert  it  into  nitrogen  compounds  that  can  be 
used  as  plant  food.  There  are  two  classes  of  nitrogen- 
fixing  bacteria:  "(1)  Those  bacteria  that  live  in  the  soil 
itself,  independent  of  the  presence  of  growing  plants,  and 
(2)  bacteria  that  are  dependent  upon  the  presence  of 
certain  higher  plants,  living  and  working  within  the 
plant  roots."  Those  of  the  first  class  which  are  known 
as  "non-symbiotic"  are  seemingly  of  no  great  importance, 
adding  little  to  the  store  of  combined  nitrogen. 

Those  in  the  second  class  are  called  "symbiotic."  The 
word  symbiotic  means  "living  together,"  but  it  is  custom- 
ary to  use  this  word  only  when  the  association  is  of 
mutual  advantage.  In  this  instance  the  bacteria  give 


68  WILSON  &   TOOMLU    FKKTILIZKR    COMPANY 

nitrogen  compounds  in  exchange  for  sugar  and  other 
carbohydrates  manufactured  in  the  green  leaves  of  their 
hosts.  The  bacteria  enter  tender  roots  and  multiply 
rapidly.  As  the  colony  of  bacteria  grows  the  root  cell 
expands,  forming  a  ^nodule."  These  nodules  vary  in 
shape  according  to  the  host,  but  careful  examination  will 
prevent  anyone  from  confusing  them  with  the  distorted 
roots  caused  by  "root  knot." 

Legumes — The  hosts  of  nitrogen-fixing  bacteria  which 
are  of  profit  to  the  grower  are  called  "legumes,"  and 
those  which  particularly  interest  us  here  in  Florida  are 
the  cowpea,  velvet  bean,  and  beggar  weed.  These  all,  but 
particularly  the  first  two,  grow  on  new  land,  and  by 
their  extensive  root  system  do  much  toward  bringing  the 
soil  into  good  tilth.  The  stems  and  leaves  have  a  high 
nitrogen  content,  and  enrich  the  soil  by  this  as  well  as 
by  the  addition  of  humus  matter  if  the  crops  are  mowed 
and  dried,  and  then  disked  into  the  land ;  or  if  they  are 
kept  for  hay  or  used  for  grazing  they  make  most  valuable 
stock  food.  Under  suitable  conditions  the  bacteria  will 
supply  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  nitrogen  that  is  in  the 
tops  of  the  plant  and  over  half  of  that  in  the  nodules  on 
the  roots.  In  other  words,  they  will  take  from  the  air 
enough  nitrogen  to  make  the  crop  and  to  leave  the  soil 
richer  in  this  element  than  it  was  before  the  crop  was 
planted. 

Besides  proper  air  and  water  content,  secured  by  tilth 
and  drainage,  there  are  three  main  factors  in  making  a 
crop  of  legumes  profitable: 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  61) 

(1)  Base, — Though  some  legumes  make  a  fair  growth 
on  soils  more  or  less  acid,  they  do  not  develop  many  ni- 
trogen nodules  and,  therefore,  are  of  proportionate  value, 
often  benefiting  the  land  no  more  than  any  cover  crop. 
Lime  the  land  when  it  is  not  already  slightly  alkaline. 

(2)  Fertilizer, — Apply  a  formula  giving  enough  and 
not  too  much  available  nitrogen  to  start  the  plant  off  well, 
and  plenty  of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  to  provide  for 
full  development  of  crop.    If  a  large  quantity  of  available 
nitrogen  is  applied,  the  plant  and  bacteria  use  it  in  place 
of  the  nitrogen  of  the  air,  thus  the  bacterial  benefits  are 
lost;  and  if  too  little,  the  plant  is  slow  in  "starting  off" 
for  the  bacteria  have  not  sufficiently  developed  to  be  of 
much  value  until  about  blooming  time. 

(3)  Bacteria, — Each    host    (except    those    closely    re- 
lated) has  its  special  bacteria,  therefore  it  is  important 
that  this  particular  organism  be  at  hand.     The  bacteria 
associated   with   cowpeas   and  velvet,  beans   seem   to   be 
common  throughout  the  State,  but  often  beggar  weed  does 
not  get  a  good  start  the  firsi  year.     This  lack  can  be 
overcome  by  ^inoculation,"   or  the  introduction  of   the 
needed  germs.    The  surest  method  for  this  is  a  scattering 
over  the  field  of  soil  from  land  which  has  grown  a  good 
crop  of  the  intended  host. 

This  is  not  practical  on  a  large  scale  because  of  expense 
of  transportation,  so  our  efforts  must  be  confined  to  com- 
mercial cultures.  So  far,  no  method  of  preparing*  such 
cultures  has  been  devised  that  insures  their  vitality;  but 
a  large  percentage  of  the  products  of  reliable  manufac- 


70  WILSON  &  TOOMER    FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

turers  is  good  and  they  are  well  worth  trying.  However, 
they  will  not  increase  a  crop  on  land  already  well 
"seeded"  with  that  particular  bacteria,  nor  will  they  act 
as  complete  fertilizer.  Such  claims  are  exaggerations. 

Drawbacks — Every  good  has  its  accompanying  evil. 
Cowpeas  induce  root  knot  and  should  not  be  planted  on 
land  to  be  used  for  vegetables,  peach  trees  or  figs. 
Velvet  beans  grow  so  rapidly  they  are  almost  sure  to 
over-run  young  trees  despite  the  grower's  best  intentions. 
Beggar  weed  must  be  cut  before  it  gets  woody  or  its  stems 
are  extremely  slow  in  decaying  and  in  the  meantime  are 
a  great  annoyance.  Beggar  weed  seems  also  to  be  a  fa- 
vorite breeding  place  of  the  pumpkin  bug,  which  is  most 
difficult  to  control,  and  at  times  does  serious  damage  in 
bearing  groves. 

Popular  Terms — Popularly  speaking,  the  ammonifying, 
nitrifying  and  nitrogen-fixing  bacteria  are  all  called  "ni- 
trifying bacteria." 

Other  Bacteria — Lyoii  and  Pippin  say:  "Certain  bac- 
teria decompose  some  of  the  mineral  matter  of  the  soil 
and  render  it  more  easily  available  to  the  plant."  The 
disintegration  of  rocks,  weathering  of  soil,  changes  in 
sulphur  and  iron  compounds,  and  the  action  of  various 
organic  acids  including  carbon  dioxide, — all  are  results 
of  bacterial  life.  Van  Slyke  mentions  the  products  of 
bacteria,  "carbon  dioxide  gas,  nitrous,  nitric,  sulphuric, 
and  various  organic  acids,"  and  their  effects  upon  calcium 
and  other  carbonates,  phosphates,  magnesium,  potassium, 
etc.,  of  the  soil,  as  well  as  in  substances  applied  in  the 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  71 

form  of  fertilizer,  and  says:  "These  statements  serve  to 
show  that  extensive  and  far-reaching  chemical  changes 
are  wrought  by  bacterial  action.  It  is  obvious  that  the 
more  favorable  the  soil  conditions  are  for  the  growth  of 
bacteria,  the  more  intense  will  be  their  activity  and  the 
greater  the  changes  brought  about." 

Fungi 

Fungi  range  in  size  from  microscopic  forms  but  little 
larger  than  bacteria  to  immense  toadstools.  They  are  of 
much  higher  organism,  multiplying  by  the  production  of 
spores  (seeds)  in  place  of  the  simple  division  of  bacteria. 
"Many  soil  fungi  assist  in  decomposing  organic  matter, 
especially  in  the  earlier  stages  of  decomposition.  They 
are  particularly  active  in  acid  soils  in  which  many  bac- 
teria cannot  work." 

Animal  Life 

Protozoa — Protozoa  are  one-celled  organisms  that  in 
greenhouse  conditions  sometimes  become  so  numerous 
as  to  destroy  an  appreciable  number  of  nitrifying  bac- 
teria, but  we  are  not  likely  to  feel  their  influence  in  the 
field. 

Root  Knot  or  Nematodes — The  adult  nematode  or  eel 
worm  is  about  three-hundred ths  of  an  inch  in  length. 
It  punctures  the  roots  and  breeds  therein,  causing  the  for- 
mation of  galls  and  inducing  disease  and  decay.  This 
trouble  is  popularly  known  as  root  knot.  Rotation  of 
crops  and  flooding  the  land  are  the  only  means  of  con- 
trol known  at  the  present  time. 


72  WILSON  &   TOOMKIt    FKIiTI  Ll/KK    COMPANY 


Chapter  XII 

Insects  in  General 

Practically,  insects  can  be  divided  into  four  classes — 
chewing  insects  that  may  be  killed  with  stomach  poison; 
sucking  insects  that  may  be  killed  with  contact  insecti- 
cide; insects  like  the  weevil,  the  habits  of  which  make 
fumigation  necessary ;  and  others  like  the  plant  bug  and 
leaf  hoppers,  which  even  to  check  materially  take  all  of 
man's  wit. 

The  chewing  insect  can  be  distinguished  from  those 
which  suck,  by  the  mouth  parts,  the  one  having  jaws, 
"mandibles,"  that  work  sideways,  and  the  other  a  snout 
for  piercing  vegetable  tissue.  The  most  of  the  insect 
damage  to  our  crops  is  done  by  the  young  or  larviP. 
Many  are  then  popularly  called  "worms."  Our  cabbage 
is  eaten  by  the  young  of  a  dainty  white  butterfly;  wire 
worms  are  the  offspring  of  beetles ;  while  a  fly  much  like 
the  common  house  fly  lays  the  eggs  that  hatch  into  root 
maggots.  Broadly  speaking,  insects  in  the  larval  stage 
do  us  no  good  and  do  harm  in  proportion  to  their 
number. 

If  chewing  insects  feed  in  the  open  they  can  be  killed 
with  stomach  poisons;  for  this  either  Paris  green  or 
arsenate  of  lead  is  generally  used.  Sucking  insects,  com- 
mon examples  of  which  are  the  aphids  or  plant  lice  of 
the  garden,  the  different  scales  on  various  trees,  and  the 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  73 

citrus  whitefly,  puncture  the  outside  tissue  and  feed  upon 
the  juices  of  the  plant.  Stomach  poisons,  therefore,  are 
of  no  avail.  For  their  control  we  must  depend  upon  con- 
tact insecticides  or  fumigation.  The  principle  of  a  con- 
tact insecticide  is  to  kill  the  insect  by  entering  its  breath- 
ing pores,  "spiracles,"  as  they  are  called.  The  materials 
most  commonly  used  for  this  purpose  are  tobacco,  soap, 
or  oil  in  some  form.  For  the  fumigation  of  ants,  weevils, 
etc.,  bisulphide  of  carbon  is  generally  used.  It  is  very 
inflammable. 

The  subject  of  fertilizing  is  too  great  to  be  discussed 
in  full  here.  A  few  plants  seem  to  have  no  preference  as 
to  the  source  of  their  food,  while  many  are  most  suscepti 
ble  to  the  influence  of  different  fertilizer  materials.  The 
plant's  welfare  must  be  given  first  consideration,  but 
often  we  can  combine  fertilizing  and  insecticide  effects 
to  good  advantage.  Commercial  fertilizer  is  less  in- 
ducive  to  insect  development  than  is  stable  manure, 
some  forms  being  far  more  active  in  this  way  than  others. 
Muriate  of  potash  and  kainit  with  their  strong  chlorine 
content  tend  especially  to  lessen  insect  life  in  all  forms, 
and  \vill  do  much  to  balance  conditions  made  by  the 
use  of  stable  manure;  therefore  they  are  to  be  preferred 
to  sulphate  of  potash  for  use  in  connection  with  it. 
However,  to  have  such  material  act  as  a  direct  insecti- 
cide, as  against  cut-worms,  etc.,  it  is  necessary  to  make 
a  heavy  application  on  bare  ground.  At  least  1000 
pounds  of  kainit  should  be  used  per  acre.  This  can 
be  put  on  after  plowing  and  harrowed  in,  say,  a  month 


74  WILSON  &  TOOMKll   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

before  planting.  If  rains  come  the  potash  will  not  be 
materially  wasted,  but  the  salt  will  be  washed  away, 
leaving  the  soil  in  condition  to  plant  crops  which  would 
"burn"  were  kainit  applied  at  planting  time  or  after. 
Nearly  all  forms  of  insect  life  found  in  the  soil  succumb 
to  the  salty  solution  formed  by  rains  on  land  dressed 
with  kainit.  Root  knot  is  an  exception,  but  its  work  can 
be  slightly  retarded  by  building  up  firm  tissue  in  the 
root  system  through  the  use  of  commercial  fertilizers 
high  in  potash. 

There  are  three  particular  points  in  successfully  com- 
bating either  insect  or  disease  enemies  of  our  crops. 

First,  start  in  time.  If  the  crop  is  ruined  before  spray- 
ing is  commenced,  insecticides  and  fungicides,  however 
valuable,  cannot  effect  its  rehabilitation. 

Second,  do  thorough  work.  Spraying  half  done  is  a 
waste  of  time  and  money. 

Third,  unless  you  have  had  experience  try  the  spraying 
solution  on  a  small  area  three  days  before  spraying  the 
crop,  and  watch  its  effects. 

In  further  comment  on  point  three  I  would  say  to  the 
grower  who  declares  he  has  "not  the  time  to  wait  three 
days,"  that  in  such  case  he  has  let  his  enemies  get  ahead 
of  him.  Constant  vigilance  is  essential.  When  the 
grower  sees  a  flock  of  chocolate-brown  butterflies  hovering 
over  his  bean  patch  he  can  turn  up  the  bean  leaves,  find 
the  yellow  eggs,  and  know  then  he  must  spray  soon. 
Spraying  material  should  be  purchased  with  his  fertilizer, 
seed,  and  other  supplies,  then  there  is  no  chance  to  lose 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  75 

a  crop  by  miscarriage  of  freight  or  through  other  delays 
beyond  his  control.  Insects  do  not  come  suddenly.  There 
is  ample  warning  if  the  grower  will  but  look  for  it.  It 
generally  is  not  until  the  second  or  third  brood  that  in- 
sects become  so  numerous  as  to  work  noticeable  damage. 

In  regard  to  the  necessity  of  trying  the  spray  someone 
asks,  "Can  we  not  depend  upon  your  directions?"  He 
must  remember  I  am  not  responsible  for  careless  weights 
or  measurements.  If  the  results  given  by  a  dozen  dif- 
ferent operators  measuring  out  ingredients  be  compared 
the  inaccuracy  of  their  work  will  be  evident.  In  some 
mixtures  this  is  not  so  important.  In  others,  it  means 
serious  loss;  then,  too,  the  foliage  of  the  same  species 
of  plant  is  far  more  tender  under  some  conditions  than 
others. 

I  might  add  a  fourth  "pointer."  Do  not  spray  in  hot 
sunshine.  Often  the  sun  heats  the  drops  of  water  so  as 
to  scald  the  plant  and  the  spraying  solution  gets  the 
blame. 

Friends  or  Enemies 

The  natural  enemies  of  our  enemies  do  much  toward 
keeping  them  in  check.  Each  larva  has  its  parasite,  per- 
haps animal,  perhaps  vegetable,  each  parasite  has  other 
parasites  until  it  seems  strange  the  insect  world  is  not 
entirely  destroyed,  but  because  of  Nature's  most  delicate 
balance,  the  different  combatants,  when  under  natural 
conditions,  keep  in  about  the  same  proportion.  Man  dis- 
arranges this  balance,  therefore  it  is  most  essential  that 


76 


WILSON   &   TOOMKIl    FKKTILIZKU   COMPANY 


he  knows  which  are  his  friends,  which  his  enemies,  in 
order  that  this  interference  may  be  turned  to  his  advan- 
tage. Without  going  into  deep  study,  we  can  safely  con- 
sider insects  resembling  bees  and  wasps  our  friends ;  flies, 
butterflies,  moths,  ants  and  grasshoppers  our  enemies; 
while  beetles  are  divided,  though  the  greater  number  are 
against  us. 


IDEAL   FERTILIZERS  77 


Chapter  XIII 

Diseases  in  General 

One  cannot  fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  number  of  in- 
sects and  disease  troubles  that  may  occur.  He  is  almost 
inclined  to  feel  despair  in  ever  producing  the  crops  when 
there  is  such  an  array  of  enemies  awaiting  him.  But  he 
should  consider  the  matter  in  two  ways:  First,  it  is  as 
impossible  for  all  or  eyen  a  small  percentage  of  these 
troubles  to  attack  a  single  crop  as  for  one  person  to  suffer 
from  all  the  diseases  common  to  the  human  family;  sec- 
ond, that  there  is  a  preventive  or  remedy  for  nearly  every 
trouble  mentioned.  Shutting  one's  eyes  to  evil  does  not 
overcome  it.  The  best  policy  is  to  recognize  all  draw- 
backs and  either  avoid  them  or  stamp  them  out. 

Most  plant  diseases  are  caused  by  parasitic  fungous 
or  bacterial  growth.  We  can  imagine  a  fungus  as  a  tiny 
plant,  the  spore  or  seed  of  which  lodges  upon  a  leaf, 
fruit  or  twig  and  sends  out  "roots"  which  enter  the  pores 
and  make  their  way  through  the  cells  of  the  inner  tissue, 
feeding  upon  the  elaborated  sap,  taking5  the  nourishment 
prepared  for  the  plant's  own  use  and  clogging  and  dis- 
arranging the  cells,  causing  disease  and  death  to  the 
attacked  area.  On  the  surface  the  fungus  develops  and 
produces  quantities  of  other  spores  which  are  carried 
by  dew,  rains,  winds,  insects,  etc.,  to  other  points  where 
further  infection  can  take  place.  Potato  blight  is  a  good 
example  of  this.  The  control  of  such  diseases  is  based 


78  WILSON  &  TOOMRR   FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

entirely  upon  so  coating  the  surface  of  nninfected  vege- 
tation with  Bordeaux  mixture  or  other  fungicides  that 
when  the  spores  fall  upon  it  the}7  are  killed.  This  ex- 
plains the  need  of  thorough  spraying.  Unsprayed  por- 
tions are  as  readily  affected  as  though  the  rest  of  the 
plant  were  also  unprotected.  As  long  as  new  leaves  are 
forming  it  is  necessary  to  spray  every  ten  days  or  two 
weeks  until  the  disease  is  eradicated,  even  when  the  most 
favorable  conditions  prevail.  Dry,  sunny  weather  is 
against  fungous  growth,  while  cloudy,  wet  weather  favors 
it.  Hence,  during  cloudy  days  diseases  spread  more  rap- 
idly. If  Bordeaux  mixture  has  time  to  dry  thoroughly 
before  the  rain  falls  it  will  be  quite  resistant  to  washing 
effects.  This  is  true  of  other  sprays  to  a  great  extent, 
but  even  if  the  fungicide  used  is  washed  off,  it  has  killed 
myriads  of  spores  which  would  have  infected  new  areas. 
Spraying  must  not  be  delayed  because  of  rainy  weather. 
There  are  four  distinctions  for  the  grower  to  make 
when  considering  fungi,  these  being  based  upon  the  hosts 
necessary  for  their  establishment.  The  class  I  have  men- 
tioned attack  living  vegetable  tissue  and  are  our  "ene- 
mies," in  that  they  work  against  us,  but  there  are  also 
"friendly"  fungi,  so  called  because  they  live  only  on 
animal  tissue  and  by  becoming  established  upon  and 
killing  our  insect  enemies,  scale,  whitefly,  etc.,  they  work 
to  our  advantage.  Another  kind  of  "noxious"  fungi 
exists  in  our  groves  and  gardens  which  can  live  upon 
dead  and  decaying  matter,  but  when  such  matter  is  a 
weak  or  dead  part  of  a  live  host  the  toxine,  that  is,  the 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  79 

poisonous  fluid,  created  by  the  action  of  the  fungus  will 
cause  further  death  and  decay  until  there  is  practically 
no  difference  in  its  effect  and  the  effect  of  the  fungus 
first  mentioned  except  it  must  have  a  point  for  entrance. 
Citrus  "withertip"  and  lettuce  "drop"  are  common  ex- 
amples of  the  third  class.  In  the  fourth  class  are  the 
"damping-off"  fungi,  of  which  there  are  several  varieties. 
These  live  on  decayed  matter  in  the  soil,  but  they  are 
more  virulent  than  those  preceding,  as  they  can  attack 
perfectly  healthy  young  seedlings  of  many  plants.  They 
ente?  the  stalk  at  or  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  either 
starting  decay  there  at  once  or  clogging  the  water  pas- 
sages so  the  top  of  the  plant  wilts  and  topples  over,  after 
which  decay  rapidly  sets  in.  Whole  seed  beds  are  thus 
attacked  so  suddenly  that  often  the  grower  can  do  noth- 
ing to  save  his  plants  after  the  trouble  first  appears; 
therefore  he  should  guard  against  it.  Land  known  to  be 
subject  to  damping-off  should  not  be  used  for  a  seed-bed. 
Seed-beds  should  always  be  well  drained  and  the  soil 
kept  aerated  by  constant  stirring.  Dry  sulphur  sprinkled 
on  the  surface  and  lightly  scratched  in  is  a  good  pre- 
ventive. A  spray  of  weak  ammoniacal  copper  carbonate 
solution  is  also  effective  if  given  in  time. 

Bacteria  differ  from  fungi  in  that  they  live  wholly 
within  their  host,  clogging  the  passages  and  thereby  pro- 
ducing death  and  decay.  Since  they  are  entirely  within 
the  plant,  spraying  is  ineffective.  The  entrance  is  often 
made  through  tender  roots  and  the  disease  carried  over 
the  field  by  the  feeding  of  insects  from  plant  to  plant. 


80  WILSON   &   TOOMICU    FKKT1LI/KU    COMPANY 

Bacteria  are  tiny  one-celled  ])lants  and  multiply  by 
divisions  instead  of  by  a  "fruiting"  or  a  "vegetative"  proc- 
ess. While  the  spores  of  a  fungus  represent  the  seeds 
of  a  plant  or  perhaps  a  mass  of  "slips"  in  a  strong  pro- 
tecting case,  the  bacterium  has  but  one  spore,  and  that 
is  itself,  with  snch  covering-  as  to  make  it  practically 
unaffected  by  uncongenial  surroundings,  but  sensitive1 
to  a  favorable  condition  upon  the  arrival  of  which  it 
"springs  to  life"  and  multiplies  with  incredible  rapidity. 

The  "resting"  spores  of  both  fnngi  and  bacteria  are 
often  longlived.  They  remain  longer  in  land  allowed  to 
"lie  out"  than  in  that  worked  and  planted  to  crops  not 
favorable  for  their  development.  But  often  when  we 
think  the  land  is  lying  out  to  eradicate  some  insect  or 
disease  trouble  it  is  growing  weeds  to  help  develop  the 
trouble  we  are  wishing  to  overcome.  There  is  no  reason 
why  land  should  be  allowed  to  lie  out.  It  can  rest  just 
as  well  by  raising  a  suitable  crop  and  with  far  more 
profit  to  its  owner. 

But  besides  the  attacks  of  fungi  and  bacteria  there 
are  diseases  which  are  physiological,  troubles  brought  on 
by  uncongenial  surroundings,  either  in  soil,  moisture 
supply,  temperature,  wrong  fertilization  or  ill-advised 
cultivation  or  several  of  these  factors  combined.  These 
diseases  are  the  least  understood  and  there  is  perhaps 
no  more  promising  field  for  the  scientist  than  in  their 
study.  Plants  have  an  individuality  and  those  of  the 
same  kind  vary  as  to  their  sensitiveness  to  surroundings. 
The  well-developed  seed  from  a  vigorous  plant  produces 


IDEAL   FERTILIZER'S  81 

an  individual  more  hardy  in  every  way  than  the  seed 
which  can  barely  germinate.  Good  seed  will  bring  re- 
sults in  a  field  as  markedly  as  will  good  blood  in  a  herd 
of  cattle.  The  hardy  young  plant  will  have  a  much  better 
chance  for  its  life  than  'its  weaker  brother,  for  being 
unable  to  change  their  environment  they  must  do  the 
best  they  can  with  the  conditions  provided  by  the  weather 
clerk  and  the  grower.  Generally  speaking,  though,  the 
grower  can  to  an  extent  overcome  weather  disadvantages. 
But  suppose  the  grower  fails  to  do  his  part;  suppose  the 
ground  is  water  soaked  and  sour  and  the  moisture  con- 
stantly passing  into  the  plant  or  tree  is  laden  with  poi- 
sonous substances.  Is  it  strange  that  a  "digestive"  dis- 
turbance takes  place?  Or,  suppose  the  materials  con- 
taining the  plant  food  create  such  conditions  or  the 
ground  is  so  hard  the  roots  are  restricted  in  their  de- 
velopment, and  therefore  fail  to  furnish  the  right  amount 
of  nourishment;  or,  suppose  there  is  comparatively  no 
available  nourishment  at  hand,  or  that  the  roots  have 
been  bruised  and  torn  by  deep  cultivation  and  through 
the  drying  out  following  that  cultivation  are  left  with 
no  moisture  within  their  reach.  Will  not  some  disar- 
rangement or  "breaking  down"  be  likely  to  occur?  Die- 
back  in  the  citrus  grove  and  white-bud  of  corn  and  straw- 
berries are  such  instances.  When  the  plant  becomes 
weakened  physically  its  enemies  seem  to  hasten  to  take 
possession  and  only  by  strict  attention  can  normal  con- 
ditions be  established.  Sanitation  is  as  essential  in  the 
field  as  in  the  home. 


82  WILSON  &  TOOMER   FERTILIZER  COMPANY 


Chapter  XIV 

Spraying 

Since  too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  laid  upon  this 
point,  I  will  repeat:  Careless  spraying  is  a  waste  of 
time  and  money. 

How  to  Spray — Cover  the  foliage  with  a  thin  film  and 
stop  just  at  the  point  where  drops  would  be  formed  to 
run  off.  An  excess  wastes  the  spray,  leaves  the  surface 
unprotected  since  the  solution  runs  off  instead  of  form- 
ing a  film,  and  perhaps  causes  injury  to  the  plant  tissues 
at  the  points  where  drops  hang  suspended  instead  of 
falling,  for  when  thus  evaporated  there  is  often  enough 
of  the  concentrated  solution  to  "burn"  the  vegetation. 

Where  to  Spray — Study  the  insect  or  disease  which  is 
to  be  controlled  and  direct  the  spray  accordingly.  If 
the  attacked  area  is  the  under  surface  of  the  leaves  great 
care  must  be  taken  to  have  the  work  effective. 

When  to  Spray — Never  spray  liquid  in  hot  sunshine, 
as  the  leaves  are  often  injured  by  the  moisture  being  so 
heated  as  to  scald  them.  This  is  also  likely  to  happen  if 
a  light  shower  comes  just  after  the  spraying  and  the  sun 
comes  out  hot  for  several  hours  afterward.  While  one 
cannot  foresee  the  weather  with  certainty,  he  can  gener- 
ally judge  it  quite  accuratehT  for  a  few  hours  in  advance. 
The  ideal  condition  for  spraying  is  a  slightly  cloudy  day 
with  a  light  breeze  which  will  rapidly  dry  the  foliage, 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  83 

for  when  once  dry  the  spraying  solution  is  not  so  readily 
washed  off.  Arsenate  of  lead,  Bordeaux  mixture  and 
Yothers'  Formula  No.  3,  an  insecticide,  a  fungicide  and 
a  contact  insecticide,  respectively,  are  especially  able  to 
withstand  weather  conditions  when  once  dried  on  the 
foliage. 

Dust  spray  should  be  applied  to  dew-wet  foliage  when 
there  is  little  or  no  air  stirring.  A  slight  misty  rain 
after  application  is  of  benefit.  During  damp,  rainy 
weather  fungous  growth  develops  much  more  rapidly, 
and  fields  should  be  sprayed  oftener  than  in  dry  seasons. 

What  Form  of  Spray — Extended  experiments  have 
proved  the  wet  spray  to  be  the  more  effective.  Where 
there  is  no  local  reason  against  it,  I  advise  wet  spray  in 
practically  all  instances  except  for  rust  mite  on  citrus 
trees,  mildew  on  beans,  the  cotton  caterpillar  and  the 
corn-bud  worm.  The  first  because  the  dry  sulphur  is 
effective  against  the  rust  mite  and  not  so  active  against 
tLe  friendly  fungi;  the  second,  because  the  dry  spray 
destroys  mildew  and  it  can  be  applied  in  the  morning, 
when  other  work  in  the  bean  fields  cannot  be  done,  thus 
saving  valuable  time;  the  third,  because  it  is  so  econom- 
ical in  labor  since  the  slight  dust  jarred  through  the  bags 
by  the  mule's  movement  is  sufficient ;  and,  fourth,  because 
a  tiny  pinch  of  powder  to  each  bud  will  do  the  work  and 
a  spray  pump  would  be  wasteful  of  both  labor  and  mate- 
rial. In  many  gardens  where  team  work  is  not  used  the 
dry  sprays  are  more  economical  because  of  the  saving 
of  labor  in  carrying  so  much  water.  Such  factors  must 
be  taken  into  consideration. 


84  WILSON  &   TOOMKK    FERTILIZER   COMPANY 

How  Much  Spray — The  answer  to  this  question  de- 
pends upon  the  spraying*  machine  and  the  operator,  also 
upon  the  size  of  the  plants  or  trees.  Fifty  gallons  per 
acre  is  considered  an  ayerage  amount  of  wet  spray  to  be 
used  where  the  crop  is  set  in  rows,  like  Irish  potatoes; 
or  one  hundred  gallons  where  the  vines  coyer  the  ground, 
like  watermelons.  In  the  Maine  Experiment  Station  they 
used  from  six  to  ten  pounds  per  acre  of  dry  spray  with 
far  better  results  from  the  latter,  though  from  the  plot  re- 
ceiving the  ten-pound  application  the  yield  of  potatoes 
was  only  about  three-fourths  that  of  the  plot  receiving 
the  fift3T-gallon  wet  spray.  It  is  estimated  by  one  grower 
that  a  citrus  tree  seven  feet  high  by  seven  feet  wide  will 
need  two  gallons  of  spray,  one  10  x  12,  four  gallons,  and 
one  14  x  18,  ten  gallons,  while  another  valued  friend  al- 
lows 750  gallons  of  spray  per  acre  of  large  bearing  trees, 

As  to  dust  spray — -A  prominent  grower  says  that  he 
used  in  two  applications  1500  pounds  of  sulphur  and 
lime  dust  on  twenty  acres  of  young  grapefruit  trees,  and 
that  out  of  2000  boxes  of  fruit  did  not  have  over  one  box 
of  russets.  He  used  a  dust  blower  run  by  an  engine,  and 
estimated  the  labor  cost  him  about  flO.  He  says  the 
extra  value  of  his  bright  fruit  (40  cents  per  box)  more 
than  paid  for  the  spraying  outfit,  spray  and  cost  of  appli- 
cation. 


IDEAL  FERTILIZERS  85 

Ideal  Fertilizers 

Best 

To  gain  a  place  on  our  regular  list  a  formula  must  not 
only  produce  results,  but  results  with  a  profit.  The 
user  of  fertilizer  considers  the  effect  on  his  pocketbook 
the  REAL  result. 

IDEAL  FERTILIZER  produces  the  right  effect,  for 
it  works  with  Nature.  The  preference  of  each  class  of 
vegetation  for  its  source  of  plant  food  is  carefully  studied, 
as  well  as  the  proper  proportions  to  give  perfect  balance 
— no  lack,  no  waste. 

With  proper  application  of  proper  food,  vegetation  out- 
grows diseases  and  insects  to  a  great  extent,  and  being 
strong  and  vigorous,  produces  fruit  that  is  pleasing  to 
the  eye  and  palate  and  brings  financial  returns  that  are 
gratifying  to  the  grower. 

Do  not  lose  the  maximum  profit  due  you  by  poorly  bal- 
anced plant  food  from  improper  sources.  IDEAL  stands 
for  PROFIT. 

Cheapest 

With  our  long  experience  on  the  market  with  fertilizer 
materials  in  all  parts  of  the  world  and  ample  capital  to 
buy  in  great  quantities  at  the  most  favorable  times,  and 
to  obtain  all  concessions  given  for  strictly  cash  sales, 
we  buy  our  materials  at  the  lowest  possible  prices. 

Two  of  ttie  leading  railroads  have  laid  their  tracks  to 
our  factory  and  any  ship  that  can  cross  the  St.  Johns 
bar  can  unload  at  our  dock,  so  whether  we  buy  at  home 
or  abroad,  we  secure  the  lowest  freight  rates,  and  deliv- 
ery is  made  at  our  door. 


86  WILSON  &   TooMKK    FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

Our  factory  is  equipped  throughout  with  labor-saving 
devices,  therefore  our  fertilizer  is  handled  at  minimum 
cost. 

Our  trade  is  so  immense  that  the  office  expenses  are 
much  less  per  ton  than  is  possible  in  a  smaller  business. 
Our  every  condition  is  favorable  for  economy  and  we  give 
you  the  benefit.  While  we  make  the  BEST,  we  can  and 
DO  sell  the  CHEAPEST. 

Our  Factory 

Is  located  on  Idealia  Point,  in  the  eastern  suburb  of  the 
city,  on  deep  water.  All  vessels  that  can  cross  the'bar 
can  tie  up  at  our  dock,  and  we  have  rail  connections  to 
all  parts  of  the  Southern  States.  It  is  the  largest  and 
most  modern  factory  in  the  South.  Our  main  building 
is  400  x  230  feet  and  is  supplied  with  the  latest  and  best 
machinery  for  grinding  and  mixing.  We  have  our  own 
electric  power  plant.  We  are  prepared  to  supply  your 
wants  quickly  in  any  quantity  that  you  may  desire. 

Remember  that  in  buying  Ideal  Brands  they  are  fully 
guaranteed  and  you  know  exactly  what  materials  are 
used  in  their  manufacture. 

Insecticide  Department 

We  carry  all  standard  insecticide  and  fungicide  ma- 
terials, also  the  most  effective  and  durable  implements 
for  application.  Write  for  anything  you  want. 

INFORMATION:  We  are  prepared  to  give  practical 
directions  for  combating  insect  and  disease  troubles. 
Tell  us  all  about  it,  and  if  science  has  discovered  or 
practice  developed  a  method  of  control,  the  information 
is  at  your  command. 


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